CAS LX 522 Syntax IStructural ambiguitySlide 3Negative Polarity ItemsNPIsSlide 6Slide 7Slide 8UngrammaticalitySlide 10Slide 11Binding TheoryR-expressionsAnaphorsPronounsThe problemIndices and antecedentsSlide 18Slide 19Constraints on co-referenceBindingSlide 22Slide 23Slide 24Slide 25Principle ABinding domainsSlide 28Slide 29Slide 30Binding domainSlide 32Principle BPrinciple CSlide 35Slide 36Constraints on interpretationSlide 38Slide 39Exercise to ponderWeek 5a. Binding theoryWeek 5a. Binding theoryCAS LX 522CAS LX 522Syntax ISyntax IStructural ambiguityStructural ambiguityJohn said that Bill slipped in the kitchen.John said that Bill slipped in the kitchen.This sentence has two possible meanings; This sentence has two possible meanings; either John either John saidsaid it in the kitchen, or Bill it in the kitchen, or Bill slipped slipped in the kitchen (according to John).in the kitchen (according to John).John said that Bill will leave yesterday.John said that Bill will leave yesterday.John said that Bill will leave tomorrow.John said that Bill will leave tomorrow.StructuralStructuralambiguityambiguityIDPVPV CPIJohn-edsayCthatin thekitchenIPIDPVPV PPIBill-edslipIPIDPVPV CPIJohn-edsayCthatin thekitchenIPIDPVPPPIBill-edslipIPVNegative Polarity ItemsNegative Polarity ItemsJohn said that Bill didn’t slipJohn said that Bill didn’t slipin any room in the house.in any room in the house.Suddenly, it has only one meaning. Why?Suddenly, it has only one meaning. Why?John said: In no room did Bill slip.John said: In no room did Bill slip.*John said in any room: Bill didn’t slip.*John said in any room: Bill didn’t slip.NPIsNPIsIDPVPV CPIJohn-edsayCthatin anyroom…IPIDPVPV PPIBill-dn’tslipIPIDPVPV CPIJohn-edsayCthatin anyroom…IPIDPVPPPIBill-dn’tslipIPV*Negative Polarity ItemsNegative Polarity ItemsHow about:How about:John didJohn didn’tn’t say that Bill slipped in say that Bill slipped in any any room room in the house.in the house.What do we predict?What do we predict?NPIsNPIsIDPVPV CPIJohn-dn’tsayCthatin anyroom…IPIDPVPV PPIBill-edslipIPIDPVPV CPIJohn-dn’tsayCthatin anyroom…IPIDPVPPPIBill-edslipIPVNegative Polarity ItemsNegative Polarity ItemsJohn didn’t say that Mary slipped in any John didn’t say that Mary slipped in any room in the house.room in the house.……He said that when he was out in the yard…He said that when he was out in the yard………He said that she slipped on the sidewalk…He said that she slipped on the sidewalk…Both meanings are good, because both Both meanings are good, because both possible structural positions for the NPI possible structural positions for the NPI are c-commanded (thus licensed) by the are c-commanded (thus licensed) by the negation.negation.UngrammaticalityUngrammaticalityWhat does it mean What does it mean that this is that this is ungrammatical?ungrammatical?If we had the right If we had the right words available and words available and Merged them together Merged them together in the right order, we in the right order, we could get this.could get this.IDPVPV CPIJohn-edsayCthatin anyroom…IPIDPVPPPIBill-dn’tslipIPV*UngrammaticalityUngrammaticalityUp to now, we have focused on Up to now, we have focused on describingdescribing sentences. We see that a sentence is possible, we sentences. We see that a sentence is possible, we ask how it is formed structurally.ask how it is formed structurally.But this is only half of the real task. Not only do But this is only half of the real task. Not only do we know how to assign structures to we know how to assign structures to grammatical sentences, we know which grammatical sentences, we know which sentences are impossible.sentences are impossible.We have been designing an We have been designing an observationally adequateobservationally adequate system—we can do better than that.system—we can do better than that.UngrammaticalityUngrammaticalityNot just any old collection of lexical items can be Not just any old collection of lexical items can be Merged together to make a Merged together to make a well-formedwell-formed structure. structure. We also have We also have constraintsconstraints on the finished product. on the finished product.One such constraint is that NPIs be One such constraint is that NPIs be licensedlicensed: An NPI : An NPI must be c-commanded by a must be c-commanded by a licenserlicenser (negation). (negation).So we need not only a theory of structure So we need not only a theory of structure building but also a theory of the constraints on building but also a theory of the constraints on structure (to reach structure (to reach descriptive adequacydescriptive adequacy).).Binding TheoryBinding TheoryBinding Theory consists of three Binding Theory consists of three Principles that govern the allowed Principles that govern the allowed distribution of DPs.distribution of DPs.Pronouns: Pronouns: hehe, , herher, , itit, , sheshe, …, …Anaphors:Anaphors: himselfhimself, , herselfherself, , itselfitself, …, …R-expressions:R-expressions: JohnJohn, , the studentthe student, …, …R-expressionsR-expressionsR-expressionsR-expressions are DPs like are DPs like PatPat, or , or the the professorprofessor, or , or an unlucky farmeran unlucky farmer, which get , which get their meaning by their meaning by referringreferring to something in to something in the world. Most DPs are like this.the world. Most DPs are like this.AnaphorsAnaphorsAn An anaphoranaphor does does notnot get its meaning from get its meaning from something in the world—it depends on something in the world—it depends on something else in the sentence.something else in the sentence.JohnJohn saw saw himselfhimself in the mirror. in the mirror.MaryMary bought bought herselfherself a sandwich. a sandwich.PronounsPronounsA A pronounpronoun is similar to an anaphor in that is similar to an anaphor in that it doesn’t refer to something in the world it doesn’t refer to something in the world but gets its reference from somewhere but gets its reference from somewhere else.else.JohnJohn told Mary that told Mary that hehe likes pizza. likes pizza.MaryMary wondered if wondered if sheshe agreed. agreed.……but it doesn’t but it doesn’t needneed to be something in to be something in the sentence.the