The Syntax of Root Clauses 4

8/9/2019 The Syntax of Root Clauses 4

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The Syntax of Root Clauses (4)


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More on argument / adjunct

Q: Do e use the d!st!nct!on argument / adjunct only !n

relat!on to "er#s$

%: &o' &ouns reos!t!ons adject!"es may also ha"e

arguments' Cons!der the follo!ng:

(*) the!r term!nat!on of the contract

(+) The mouse sat !n the corner'

(,) -ood eather has set !n'(4) They are not art!al to #londes'


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."ent nom!nals l!e terminationneed an o#ject

(real!0ed as a 11 the contract !n our examle) and may

also ha"e a su#ject'

1reos!t!ons exress a relat!on #eteen a 2!gure and a

-round !'e' the 2!gure !s the o#ject to #e located

somehere and the -round reresents the locat!on !tself!n sace or t!me. 3n our examle the 2!gure !s the

mouseand the -round !s the corner'


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%dject!"es denote roert!es !'e' shae s!0e color

mater!al nat!onal!ty etc'

%dject!"es may ha"e the!r on o#jects (h!ch are

alays real!0ed as 11s just l!e the o#jects of nouns

and unl!e the o#jects of "er#s)' 3n our examle the

adject!"e has an o#ject blondes'

Q: Do you no of other adject!"es that need o#jects$


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1red!cates and %rguments

() 5ur 6ead of Deartment de"oured the #agel'

So far e ha"e analy0ed sentences !n terms of (!) form

(!'e' &1s 71s etc) and (!!) grammat!cal funct!on (!'e'su#ject d!rect o#ject etc')

8e can also loo at sentences from a d!fferent o!nt' 8ecan say that a "er# l!e devourcannot form a sentenceon !ts on !t needs a m!n!mal set of other elements'Chec !t for yoursel"es9


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() a' ;5ur 6ead of Deartment de"oured'

#' ;De"oured the #agel'

8e refer to those elements that re


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(=) 6enry tr!ed'

(>) The ol!ce !n"est!gated the allegat!on'

(?) The terror!st ga"e the marshal a acage'

(*@) Aohn #et 6enry ten ounds that he ould lose'

Monadic predicates / one place predicates

Trip!s a red!cate that needs only one argument for thesentence to #e ellBformed' 3t needs a su#ject'

Q: Can you g!"e more examles of monad!c red!cates$


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Dyadic predicates / two place predicates

Investigate !s a red!cate that needs to arguments' 3t

needs a su#ject and a d!rect o#ject'

Q: Can you g!"e more examles of dyad!c red!cates$

Triadic predicates / three place predicates

Give!s a red!cates that needs three arguments' 3t needs

a su#ject a d!rect o#ject and an !nd!rect o#ject'Q: Can you g!"e more examles of tr!ad!c red!cates$


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Qu!te rarely e may come across a sentence !th four

arguments'

The arguments that are !ns!de of the 71 (d!rect !nd!rect

reos!t!onal o#jects) are the internal arguments'

The argument that recedes the 71 (the su#ject) !s theexternal argument'


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&ote that a sentence #r!ngs together the syntact!c s!de(!ntrans!t!"e trans!t!"e d!trans!t!"e "er#s) !th thesemant!c s!de (one lace to lace three lace

red!cates)' Semant!cally e can reresent red!catesand the!r arguments !n terms of the notat!on ofpredicatelogic

(**) T (h)

(*+) 3 ( a)(*,) - (t m )

(*4) (j h clause)


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3n the red!cate log!c notat!on the "er# !s reresented#y a ca!tal letter and the arguments #y uerBcaseletters'

3f e use th!s !nd of notat!on e cannot sec!fy hoh!ch argument !s real!0ed !'e' e cant say hat sortof hrases go !th the red!cate'

8e also ha"e the ot!on of relac!ng the red!cate log!c

notat!on !th the notat!on of argument structure (aBstructure)'


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(*) a' sm!le ("er#)

#' E* F&1GH

(*) a' !n"est!gate ("er#)

#' E* F&1G + F&1GH

(*=) a' g!"e ("er#)

#' E* F&1G + (F&1G) , F&1GH

(*>) a' #et ("er#)

#' E* F&1G + F&1G , F&1G 4 clauseH


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&ote to deta!ls:

(!)8e ha"e underl!ned the su#ject !n the argument

structure

(!!)8e ha"e used #racets for arguments that may #e

!ml!c!t (the !nd!rect o#ject !n (*=))

(*?) The man !s so #or!ng9 6e alays g!"es me ad"!ce'

(+@) The man !s so #or!ng9 6e alays g!"es ad"!ce'99 %n !ml!c!t argument does not mean an a#sent

argument'


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Themat!c Roles

Arguments are participants in what one linguist has

called the little drama that a proposition expresses To

be a participant in a drama you must be playing a role

(%arts +@@* ' ?4)

Q: To #e more rec!se hat roles are e tal!ng a#out$

%: 8e ha"e already seen that su#jects are assoc!ated!th %gents and d!rect o#jects !th 1at!ents'

There are other roles though'


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Themat!c Roles

I %-.&T: the erson or ent!ty that !n!t!ates the e"ent

denoted #y the red!cate'

I 1%T3.&T: the erson or ent!ty that !s affected #y the

e"ent'

I T6.M.: the erson or ent!ty that !s mo"ed #y thee"ent'


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Themat!c Roles

I .J1.R3.&C.R: the erson that exer!ences acerta!n sycholog!cal state of m!nd denoted #y the"er#'

I .&.23C3%RK: the erson or ent!ty that #enef!tsfrom the e"ent denoted #y the red!cate'

I -5%L: the ent!ty toards h!ch an act!"!ty !sd!rected'


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Themat!c Roles

I S5RC.: the ent!ty from h!ch an ent!ty !s mo"ed'

I L5C%T35&: the lace !n h!ch the e"ent denoted #y

the red!cate taes lace'

I 3&STRM.&T: the means #y h!ch the e"ent

denoted #y the "er# !s carr!ed out'


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Themat!c Roles

(+*) The cler del!"ered the #r!#e to the h!gh off!c!al'

(%gent: cler / Theme: #r!#e / enef!c!ary: h!gh off!c!al)

(++) Aohn sent the letter to the rong address'

(%gent: Aohn / Theme: the letter / -oal: the rong

address)

(+,) Aohn as unusually dejected'

(.xer!encer: Aohn)


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Themat!c Roles

(+4) The man felt angs of remorse'

(.xer!encer: the man)

(+) The cler too the car from the #us!ness man'

(%gent: the cler Theme: the car Source: the man)

(+) The arcel tra"elled from London to Rome'

(Theme: the arcel Source: from London -oal: toRome)

(+=) Many stra#erry !cers l!"e !n Sa!n'

(.xer!encer: !cers Locat!on: !n Sa!n)


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Themat!c Roles

(+>) The !d rolled the #all to the fr!sy dog'

(%gent: the !d Theme: the #all -oal: the fr!sy dog)

(+?) The #all rolled to the fr!sy dog'

(Theme: the #all -oal: the fr!sy dog)

&o e can comlete the argument structure of a "er#

!th !ts corresond!ng thematic structure'


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Themat!c Roles

(,@) a' sm!le ("er#)

#' E* F&1 %gGH

(,*) a' !n"est!gate ("er#)

#' E* F&1 %gG + F&1 ThGH(,+) a' g!"e ("er#)

#' E* F&1 %gG + (F&1 enG) , F&1 ThGH

(,,) a' #et ("er#)#' E* F&1 %gG + F&1 -oalG , F&1 1at!entG 4

clause 1roos!t!onH


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Themat!c Roles

The reresentat!ons !n (,@) N (,,) !nstant!ate the

noledge that e ha"e a#out lex!cal !tems' The locusof th!s noledge !s the lex!con the mental "oca#ulary

of .ngl!sh that e ha"e as second language learners of

th!s language'


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Themat!c Roles and %djuncts

(,4) Kesterday the 6ead of Deartment greed!ly

de"oured three #agels'

The underl!ned const!tuents are a t!me ad"er#!al and a

manner ad"er#!al'Q: Can e say that these to ad"er#!als refer to

art!c!ants !n the e"ent of Ode"our!ng$

%: &o' %djuncts are not art of the argument structureand themat!c structure of a red!cate'


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Themat!c Roles and .xlet!"es

(,) 3t alays ra!ns !n London'

(,) There ere three !ttens on the sto"e'

3mersonal / eather nonBreferent!al it and ex!stent!al

there do not denote ent!t!es !n the extraBl!ngu!st!c orld'Conse


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Themat!c Roles and %ux!l!ary 7er#s

nl!e lex!cal "er#s aux!l!ary "er#s do not ass!gn / g!"e

themat!c roles to arguments'

Q: 6o do e nos th!s$

(,>) The r!me m!n!ster defends h!s cron!es'

The "er# de!ends !s a dyad!c red!cate that ass!gns the

%gent and 1at!ent role to !ts arguments:

(,?) E* F&1 %gG + F&1 1atGH


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(4@)The r!me m!n!ster has defended h!s cron!es'

Th!s sentence conta!ns the erfect!"e aux!l!ary have

The sentence !n"ol"es to art!c!ants the %gent and

the 1at!ent'

These themat!c roles come from the lex!cal "er#

de!end'

3f the aux!l!ary had themat!c roles to ass!gn e ouldha"e other roles !n th!s sentence than %g 1at' 8e do not

ha"e any such th!ng'


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Q: 5ay aux!l!ary "er#s such as rogress!"e be

erfect!"e have and dummy do do not ass!gn

themat!c roles' 8hat a#out modal aux!l!ar!es$

%: Modal aux!l!ar!es carry res!dual mean!ng'

(4*) 3 !ll do hate"er 3 l!e'

(4+) Matt can read eoles m!nds'(4,) Kou must ee your rom!se'


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willrefers to strong "ol!t!on canrefers to a#!l!ty" must

has to do !th o#l!gat!on'

5ne m!ght say that modal aux!l!ar!es do ass!gn themat!c

roles' Let us call them ad#unct theta rolesto ee them

aart from the roles ass!gned #y the lex!cal "er#'


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8hat do e need themat!c roles for$

Cons!der the follo!ng sentences from %arts +@@* '

?=:

(44) Da"!d smashed the !ndo'

(4) The !ndo as smashed #y Da"!d'

(4) % #r!c smashed the !ndo'

(4=) Da"!d used a #r!c to smash the !ndo'


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David !n (44) (4) and (4=) !s the %gent the one ho

!n!t!ates the e"ent denoted #y the "er#'

6oe"er th!s %gent !s real!0ed d!fferently:

(!) as a su#ject (!n (44) and (4=))

(!!) as the comlement of a reos!t!on (!n (4))

Q: 8hat does th!s mean$

%: 3t means that there !s no oneBtoBone corresondence#eteen themat!c roles and grammat!cal funct!ons'

8e can chec th!s o#ser"at!on further'


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The window!n (44) N (4=) !s the 1at!ent the ent!ty that!s affected #y the e"ent denoted #y the "er#'

6oe"er th!s 1at!ent !s real!0ed d!fferently:

(!) as a su#ject (!n (4))(!!) as a d!rect o#ject (!n (44) (4) and (4=))

The bric$!s the 3nstrument !n (4) and (4=)

The 3nstrument gets real!0ed d!fferently:

(!) as a su#ject (!n (4))

(!!) as a d!rect o#ject (!n (4=))


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8e need themat!c roles #ecause e cannot say that e

ha"e oneBtoBone corresondence #eteen these roles

and grammat!cal funct!ons'

8e also need themat!c roles to exla!n the semant!c

restr!ct!ons that "er#s !mose on the!r arguments'


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(4>) The ey#oard des!gned some clothes'

(4?) The staler too a #rea'

These sentences are syntact!cally ellBformed #ut

semant!cally odd' 8e can cature th!s semant!c odd!ty !f

e say that a "er# l!e designneeds an %gent su#ject'

%gents are ty!cally an!mate ent!t!es'


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8ra!ng u themat!c roles

Let us tae stoc on themat!c roles'

I Themat!c roles are ass!gned to the arguments of the

"er#' .ach argument of the "er# !n !ts turn real!0es a

grammat!cal funct!on (su#ject d!rect o#ject etc')I Themat!c roles do not go to the adjuncts of the "er#'

%djuncts real!0e grammat!cal funct!ons though'

I Sentences can #e descr!#ed at the funct!onal le"el(su#ject d!rect o#ject etc') the form le"el (&1 71

etc') and the themat!c le"el (%gent 1at!ent etc')


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%rgumenthood Tests' Mean!ng'

3f e ant to determ!ner the num#er of arguments that a

red!cate has e must cons!der the mean!ng of the "er#

and f!gure out the art!c!ants that are !n"ol"ed !n the

e"ent or the state denoted #y the "er#'(@) The D% #el!e"ed the story of the defendant'

8e no !ntu!t!"ely that believere


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%rgumenthood Tests' Mean!ng

%ll the arguments of a red!cate must #e !n a themat!c

role relat!onsh! !th the resect!"e red!cate'

3nformat!on a#out arguments and themat!c role !s to #e

found !n the mental lex!con9


37/44

%rgumenthood Tests' Dummy

.lements'Q: Could e say that dummy it and thereare arguments

of the "er#$

%: 8e no that dummy lex!cal !tems are called so

#ecause they ha"e no semant!c content' %#sence ofsemant!c content t!es !n !th a#sence of a themat!c role'

3f a lex!cal !tem has no themat!c role !t cant #e an

argument'

(*) There are some


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%rgumenthood Tests' 3d!om

Chuns'3d!om P exress!ons !th f!xed mean!ng' The o"erall

mean!ng of the !d!om cannot #e !nferred from the

const!tuents that mae u the !d!om'

(+) The coast !s clear'(+) means that there !s no danger any more' 8e cant

!nfer th!s mean!ng from jo!n!ng together the &1 the coast

and the 71 be clear

3d!omat!c su#jects (or o#jects) dont ha"e a themat!c role

relat!onsh! to the "er#' They are not roer arguments of

the "er#'


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The 71B3nternal 6yothes!s

8e no that "er#s g!"e a themat!c role to the!r o#jects'

8here do the themat!c roles of su#jects come from$

Cons!der the follo!ng a!r of 71s (from Marant0

*?>4):

(,) a' thro a #all

#' thro a f!t

&o let us use these 71s !n sentences of our on'


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(4) a' Marys #oyfr!end thre the #all'

#' Marys #oyfr!end thre a f!t'

Q: 8hat !s su#ject themat!c role !n (4a)$

%: The su#ject !s an %gent'

Q: 8hat !s the su#ject themat!c role !n (4#)$

%: The su#ject !s a 1at!ent'


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8e conclude from (,) and (4) that the themat!c role

of the su#ject does not come from the "er# alone #ut

from the com#!nat!on "er# o#ject of the "er#'

Themat!c role ass!gnment to the su#ject haens henthe su#ject must #e !ns!de the 71 !'e' hen !t occu!es

the sec!f!er os!t!on of the 71'

Th!s !ml!es that the su#ject starts out !ns!de the 71 and

then !t mo"es !n reB"er#al os!t!on' Th!s !s the 71B

3nternal 6yothes!s'


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%dd!t!onal e"!dence for the 71B!nternal hyothes!s

comes from the d!str!#ut!on of the soBcalled float!ng


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The os!t!on occu!ed #y the float!ng


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Documents

The Syntax of Root Clauses 4