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Fe2 O3
The valences of the atoms of iron and oxygen are determined by
the inner structure of the respective atoms, and are a good
indicator in predicting the ways in which the atoms combine in
order to form a stable molecule.
2. The syntactic valence
Lexical items belong to different syntactic categories, which determine
their phrasal distribution.
Example: a transitive verb always selects two arguments, an
intransitive, only one, a ditransitive, three. Therefore, we can say that
a transitive clause is generated by a transitive verb, or, specifically, by
the syntactic ability of the verb to initialise two arguments, which we
call a transitive valence.
3. The Projection Principle
Lexical information is syntactically represented.
In other words, lexical information determines the syntactic structure.
It is the syntactic valence of the building blocks (words) of a phrase or
sentence that determine the syntactic structure of the sentence.
In the mental lexicon every lexical entry (word) consists of both
semantic information (what it means) and the syntactic information
(syntactic valence) that controls its phrasal distribution.
You find in this outline the content of the slides that I project during the course,
which contain the main topics and also structures and diagrams which may be difficult
and time consuming for you to copy during my lecture. They are made available to you
before class to save time and to make note-taking easier, but not unnecessary!
The outline as such (without your notes covering the detailed explanations that I give
during the course) cannot constitute a sufficient source of information when preparing
for the exam. If you miss the class, it is strongly recommended that this outline be used
as a guide to the bibliography indicated at the end of this document.
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NOTE: Lexical items are learned and stored in the mental lexicon,
whereas the syntactic categories, which are actualized for every lexical
item, are primitives of Universal Grammar.
Predicates and their argument structure
The argument structure describes the syntactic relationship between
the arguments and their predicates.
A predicate syntactically initialises its arguments by assigning them a
number of grammatical relations (S, DO, IO), according to its
argument structure.
The argument structure indicates the number and the syntactic
functions (grammatical relations) of the arguments that a predicate
must/ can initialise.
1. The argument structure of the verb
S P
DO
John hit the boy.
hit
(vb) S
DO
Syntactic info
S
P
DO
IO
John gave the book to Mary.
give
(vb) S
DO
(IO)
Syntactic info
John slept.
sleep
escape
(vb)
Syntactic info
(vb)
Syntactic info
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break
(vb)
Syntactic info
exaggerate
(vb)
Syntactic info
John is in London
in
(prep) S
O
Syntactic info
envious
(adj) S
(O)
Syntactic info
crazier
(adj) S
O
Syntactic info
analysis
(adj) (S) (O)
Syntactic info
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Stimulus
Maria
likes
apples.
Agent
The girl
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gave
Theme
Beneficiary
the book
to Tom.
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Agent
Patient
Instrument
Source
Goal
Cluj
for Bucharest
Theme
hit
Semantic info
Patient/ Theme
give
Theme
(Bene)
(vb) S
DO
Syntactic info
(vb) S
DO
(IO)
Syntactic info
Semantic info
Semantic info
sleep
Exp
escape
(vb) S
Syntactic info
exaggerate
Agent
Agent
(vb) DO
Syntactic info
Semantic info
(Theme)
(vb) S
(DO)
Syntactic info
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Agent
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Semantic info
break
(Agent)
Theme
(vb) (S)
DO
Syntactic info
Exp P
P
P assigns syntactic values
DO P
Ho sudato.
Sa-laksha
st
st
(1 sg) have sweated
1 sg Acc- sweated
Italian
Choctaw
unergative verb
unaccusative verb
Semantic info
sudare
Semantic info
Exp
laksha
(vb)
S
Syntactic info
Exp
(vb)
DO
Syntactic info
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Conclusions:
In the mental lexicon, the stored lexical entries consist of both
semantic information and syntactic information (syntactic valence
which determines the ways in which the entry combines with other
lexical or functional items);
A syntactic structure is projected by the syntactic valence of its
constituents;
There are 6 verbal syntactic types:
--unaccusativity;
--unergativity;
--unaccusativity with optional transitivity;
--unergativity with optional transitivity;
--transitivity;
--transitivity with optional ditransitivity;
As well as verbs, nouns, adjectives, and prepositions are syntactic
predicates that project syntactic structures;
Theta-roles (semantic information) are syntactically assigned by
predicates to their arguments;
Syntax is autonomous. Meaning does not necessarily generate syntax:
the interface between syntax and semantics allows for some degree of
arbitrariness in correlating the theta-grid and the argument structure;
A predicates theta-gridargument-structure mapping is stable and
does not change with the context.
Bibliography:
Carol G. Rosen (1996-1997) Interfaa dintre rolurile semantice i
relaiile gramaticale iniiale n Dacoromania, II pe 1996-1997, nr. 1-2,
Editura academiei romne.pp.207-251
(you can find a copy in the Generative Grammar dossier at the library)
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