X-bar Theory Motivating intermediate projections Ling 322 Read Syntax, Ch. 6 (Lecture notes based on Andrew Carnie s notes) 1
Flat structure (D) (Adj+) (+) (1) I bought [that big book of poems with the blue cover]. D that Adj A big book of poems with D the Adj Adj cover blue 2
roblem with Flat Structure One-replacement: Only constituents can be replaced with pronouns. (2) a. I bought that big [book of poems with the blue cover] not the small [one]. b. I bought that big [book of poems] with the blue cover not the small [one] with the red cover. c. I want that [big book of poems with the blue cover] not this [one]. D that Adj A big book of poems with D the Adj Adj cover blue = Evidence for articulated structure 3
roblem with Flat Structure (cont.) Conjunction: Only constituents of the same category can be conjoined. (3) Calvin is [the [dean of humanities] and [director of social sciences]]. D the dean of humanities = Evidence for articulated structure 4
Articulated Structures the [dean of humanities] D the dean of humanities that [big [[book of poems] with the blue cover]] D the A big book of poems with the blue cover 5
Intermediate rojections in We will use (-bar) to refer to the intermediate projections in. D the dean D the A big of humanities book of poems One-replacement: Replace an node with one. s can be conjoined. with the blue cover D the dean of humanities Conj and director of social sciences 6
ew Rules with Intermediate rojections (4) a. (D) b. (Adj) c. () d. () QUESTIO: rovide parsed trees for the following s, using the rules above. (5) a. owners of big cars without children b. the big yellow box of cookies with the pink lid c. the dangers of too much cholesterol QUESTIO: Using the rules in (4), provide the parsed tree for the bracketed in (6) to reflect the constituency indicated by the one-replacement. (6) [ that big book of poems with the blue cover], and not this one with the red cover 7
Flat V Structure V (Adv+) V () (Adv+) (+) (7) John [often sings opera loudly at church]. V Adv Adv often V sings opera Adv Adv loudly at church 8
roblem with Flat V Structure Do so replacement: Only constituents can be replaced with pro-forms. (8) a. John [often sings opera loudly at church] and Mary [does so] too. b. John often [sings opera loudly at church] and Mary frequently [does so] too. c. John often [sings opera loudly] at church but Mary rarely [does so] in the library. d. John often [sings opera] loudly at church but Mary rarely [does so] quietly in the library. V Adv Adv often V sings opera Adv Adv loudly at church = Evidence for articulated structure 9
roblem with Flat V Structure (cont.) Conjunction (9) The chef [eats beans] and [tosses salads] with forks. V V tosses salads with forks = Evidence for articulated structure 10
[tosses salads] with forks Articulated V Structure V V with forks tosses [often [[[sings opera] loudly] at church]] salads V Adv often Adv at church V loudly sings opera 11
Intermediate rojections in V We will use V (V-bar) to refer to the intermediate projections in V. V V V V V V tosses salads with forks Adv often V V V Adv at church V loudly sings opera Do so replacement: Replace a V node with do so. V s can be conjoined. V V V with forks V Conj V eats beans and tosses salads 12
ew V Rules with Intermediate rojections (10) a. V V b. V (Adv) V c. V V ({Adv/}) d. V V () QUESTIO: rovide parsed trees for the following Vs, using the rules above. (11) a. He jumped over. b. He jumped over the ditch. c. Bill frequently got his buckets from the store for a dollar. d. Holmes cleaned the knife carefully with a handkerchief and washed the dishes with soap. 13
Flat Adj Structure Adj (Adv+) Adj () (12) Bob is [very angry about social violence]. Adj Adv Adj Adv angry very about social violence 14
roblem with Flat Adj Structure So replacement: Only constituents can be replaced with pro-forms. (13) a. Bob is very [angry about social violence] but less [so] than he used to be. b. Bob is very [angry] about social violence but less [so] about gun control. Conjunction (14) John is [fond of dogs] and [afraid of cats] without exception. Adj Adj Adv Adj Adj Adv angry afraid of cats without exception very about social violence = Evidence for articulated structure 15
Articulated Adj Structure [afraid of cats] without exception Adj Adj afraid of cats without exception [very [angry about social violence]] Adj Adv very Adj angry about social violence 16
Intermediate rojections in Adj We will use Adj (Adj-bar) to refer to the intermediate projections in Adj. Adj Adj Adj Adj Adj Adv Adj Adj without exception very Adj afraid of cats Adj about social violence angry So replacement: Replace a Adj node with so. Adj s can be conjoined. Adj Adj Adj Adj Conj Adj without exception Adj and Adj fond of dogs afraid of cats 17
ew Adj Rules with Intermediate rojections (15) a. Adj Adj b. Adj ({Adv/Adj}) Adj c. Adj Adj () d. Adj Adj () QUESTIO: rovide parsed trees for the following Adjs, using the rules above. (16) a. Maggie is quite fond of her assistent without doubt. b. Mary is absolutely happy about the news. 18
Flat Structure (Adv) () () (17) Mary is [very in love with her fiance]. Adv Adv in love with her fiance very 19
roblem with Flat Structure So replacement: Only constituents can be replaced with pro-forms. (18) a. Mary was very [in love with her fiance], but Sue was less [so]. Conjunction b. Mary was very [in love] with her fiance, but Sue was less [so] with her husband. (19) Kim was [in love] and [at odds] with her boss. Adv Adv in love with her fiance at odds with her boss very = Evidence for articulated structure 20
Articulated Structure [at odds] with her boss [very [in love [with her fiance]]] at odds with her boss Adv very in love with her fiance 21
Intermediate rojections in We will use (-bar) to refer to the intermediate projections in. Adv at odds with her boss very with her fiance So replacement: Replace a node with so. s can be conjoined. in love Conj with her boss and in love at odds 22
ew Rules with Intermediate rojections (20) a. b. (Adv) c. () d. ({/}) QUESTIO: rovide parsed trees for the following s. (21) a. He fell out of the window. b. He is very out of touch in some ways. 23
The ew Rules (22) a. (D) b. (Adj) c. () d. () e. V V f. V (Adv) V g. V V ({Adv/}) h. V V () i. Adj Adj j. Adj ({Adv/Adj}) Adj k. Adj Adj () l. Adj Adj () m. n. (Adv) o. () p. ({/}) Is there a simpler way to state these rules Are we missing any generalizations 24
Generalizing the Rules Headedness In each rule, the only item that is obligatory is the item that gives its category to the node that dominates it. Every phrase has a head (endocentricity). * VA. Optionality With the exception of determiners (more on this later), all non-head materials are both phrasal and optional. *V AV (23) a. (D) b. (Adj) c. () d. () e. V V f. V (Adv) V g. V V ({Adv/}) h. V V () 25
Generalizing the Rules (cont.) For each major category, there are 3 types of rules. (24) A rule that generates the phrase: X (Y) X a. (D) c. Adj Adj b. V V d. (25) A rule that iterates: X (Z) X or X X (Z) a. (Adj) e. Adj ({Adv/Adj}) Adj b. () c. V (Adv) V d. V V ({Adv/}) f. Adj Adj () g. (Adv) h. () (26) A rule that introduces the head: X X (W) a. () c. Adj Adj () b. V V () d. ({/}) 26
X-bar Theory Specifier Rule: X (Y) X Adjunct Rule: X (Z) X or X (Z) Complement Rule: X X (W) X X X X (Y) X X (W) (Y) X Z X Z X X (W) (Y) X X X X (W) Z Z (Y) X Z X X X (W) Z ote: X, Y, Z, W are variables. They can stand for any category (, V, Adj, Adv, ). The category standing for X, X, and X must be consistent through the 3 rules. 27
Additional Rules for Building Trees Conjunction Rule: X X Conj X; X X Conj X ;X X Conj X X X Conj X X X Conj X X X Conj X Ditransitive Rule: X XWU X X W U (27) a. John gave a book to Mary. b. John gave Mary a book. V V V V V V gave a book to Mary gave Mary a book 28