Transformational Generative grammar

Lecture # 16

Finite state grammars are less powerful than

phrase structure grammars & Phrase structure grammars are less powerful than transformational grammars Finite state grammars:A finite set of rules operates upon a finite vocabulary and is capable of generating an infinite set of sentences.

Review of Lecture 15

Function of PS grammar – to generate strings

of symbols and to assign to each a labelled bracketing

TG consists of two levels of representation of a sentence: Deep and surface.

Surface structures are derived from deep structures

Review of lecture 15

Passive Agent deletion [someone] ate the cake. When the subject agent is not identified, we

use an indefinite pronoun to fill the slot where it would appear in the deep structure

The cake was eaten. In many instances we delete the agent in

passive sentences

TGG (some common transformations)

TGG proposes a deletion rule that eliminates a

prepositional phrase containing the subject agent.

Hence, it can be said that a sentence has undergone two transformations

Passive & Passive agent deletion (James Dale Williams, The teacher’s Grammar book, 2nd ed. Lawrence Ehribaum, 2005)

TGG (some common transformations)

2. Extraposition A construction (or transformation) in which a

clause that acts a subject is moved (or extraposed) to the end of the sentence.

It is replaced by dummy ‘it’ in the initial position

An extraposed subject sometimes called a postponed subject

TGG (some common transformations)

The use of ‘it’ as a subject (or dummy subject)

in sentences about time and weather (e.g. it is raining again) and in certain idioms (it’s ok).

It is also known as ambient ‘it’ or empty ‘it’ Unlike the ordinary pronoun ‘it’ dummy ‘it’

refers to nothing at all. It simply serves a grammatical function.

TGG (some common transformations)

In simple words, dummy ‘it’ has a

grammatical meaning but no lexical meaning.3. End – Focus It is the principle that states that the most

important information in a clause or a sentence is placed at the end.

End-focus is a normal characteristic of sentence structure in English

TGG (some common tranformations)

Example: [T]he dramatist deliberately uses a marked word order to focus attention[on] the part of the information that is comically most surprisingTo be technically accurate, end focus is given to the last open-class item or proper noun in a class. (Quirk & Greenbaum)

TGG (some common tranformations)

Example: In the sentence, “ Sean Connery was born in Scotland” the last open- class item is the noun ‘Scotland’By default it is the focus, the new piece of information in this sentence.Sean Connery is the topic (subject) It is an old piece of information on which the speaker makes some comment.

TGG (some common transformations)

The old information is generally placed in the

subject, whereas new information is put in predicate.

End focusing processes that produce marked end focus

Parked right outside our front door last night it was a large furniture van

TGG (Some common transformatio

Someone parked a large furniture van last

night right outside our front door. A large furniture van, right outside our front

door last night, parked Some end focuses clearly more marked than

others – readers can confirm by reading – by looking at the intonation patterns

TGG (Some common tranformations)

4. End focus and Genitives ( Possessive forms) The choice between the ‘s’ genitive and the

‘of’ genitive is determined by the principles of end focus and end weight.

According to the principles, the more complex and communicatively more important constituents are placed towards the end of the NP

TGG (some common tranformations)

Accordingly, the ‘s’ genitive should be

preferred when the possessum is more important than possessor, while the ‘of’ genitive should be preferred if the possessor is more communicatively important than possessum

Ali’s chair (Chair more important) Legs of the chair (chair more important)

TGG (some common transformations)

5. Reversed ‘wh’ clefts Reversed ‘wh’ clefts have main focus at the

beginning of the first unit, not at the end after ‘be’ as in regular wh-clefts.

Some combinations (that’s what /why/how/the way) are stereotyped as ‘the thing is / the problem is.

TGG (Some common transformations)

All you need is love (regular wh- cleft) Love is all you need (reversed wh- cleft) What you should do is this (regular wh – cleft) This is what you should do (reversed wh- cleft)

TGG (Some common transformations)

Wh – movement S – structure Who will John see? John will see who? What will Ali play? Ali will play what?

TGG (Some common transformations

Sentence transformations Grammatically correct sentences (correctness in term of grammar It is possible for a sentence to be both

grammatically correct and meaningless e.g. Colourless green ideas sleep furiously (Chomsky)

TGG (Some common transformations)

The above sentence is grammatically correct

but carries no proper meaning. Man bit snake bit the The meaning is clear no native speaker would

accept it as a well-formed sentenceSo sentences have to be grammatically correct and meaningful to be used and accepted

TGG (Some common transformations)

Common transformations Passive agent deletionWe fit an indefinite pronoun to fill the gap when the subject is not given

ExtrapositionSubject moved at the end and a dummy ‘it’ is put in the initial position. It has a grammatical meaning but no lexical meaning

Summary

End focus The old piece is put in the start and the most important information is put at the end

End focus and genitives Choice between ‘s’ genitive and ‘of’ genitive More important put at the end

Summary

Reversed wh-clefts Wh-cleft is put at regular position Wh-cleft is reversed Sentence transformations Grammatically correct but meaningless

Summary

Chomsky is clear that a generative grammar

models only the knowledge that underlies the human ability to speak and understand.

Final words

Internal language ( I language) is the mentally

represented linguistic knowledge that a native speaker of a language has, and is therefore a mental object –from this perspective most of the theoretical linguistics is a branch of psychology &

External knowledge

Final words

External language (E language) encompasses

all other notions of what a language is, for example that it is a body of knowledge or behavioral habits shared by community

Final words