CAS LX 522 Syntax ISome things we knowIt’s surprisingly complicatedSlide 4Slide 5How do people know this?Two questionsSystematicityPositive and negative evidenceSlide 10The “Language instinct”But languages differSlide 13ParametersThe enterpriseI-languageCompetencePrescriptive rulesSlide 19Slide 20JudgmentsSyntax as scienceA simple introductory exampleSlide 24Hypothesis: An anaphor must have an antecedent which agrees in gender.Slide 26Hypothesis: An anaphor must agree in gender and number with its antecedentPersonHypothesis about anaphorsLevels of adequacySlide 31Refresher on syntaxConstituentsSlide 34PhrasesSentencesSlide 37TreesOf the past and the futureSlide 40Slide 41Some milestonesWhat’s differentFinding constituentsReplacement testSlide 46Sentence fragment testMovement tests—”clefting”Movement tests—cleftingMovement tests—preposingCoordination testWhen constituency tests failSlide 53Trees and constituencySlide 55Slide 56Phrases and constituentsSlide 58Inside the NPSlide 60Slide 61Slide 62Slide 63Slide 64Slide 65ModifiersSlide 67Slide 68Slide 69The actual structure…Slide 71Slide 72Slide 73Slide 74Inside the VPSlide 76Slide 77What we’ve got…AdjP and AdvPWhat we’ve got now…Slide 81Slide 82For next time:Week 1. IntroductionWeek 1. IntroductionCAS LX 522CAS LX 522Syntax ISyntax ISome things we knowSome things we knowIs this English?Is this English?Pat the book lifted.Pat the book lifted.Pat lifted the book.Pat lifted the book.Lifted Pat the book.Lifted Pat the book.Pat book the lifted.Pat book the lifted.Why?Why?It’s surprisingly complicatedIt’s surprisingly complicated1)1)Tony threw out the couch.Tony threw out the couch.2)2)Tony threw the couch out.Tony threw the couch out. Prepositions can go on either Prepositions can go on either side of the object.side of the object.3)3)Tony stormed out the door.Tony stormed out the door.4)4)* Tony stormed the door out. * Tony stormed the door out.It’s surprisingly complicatedIt’s surprisingly complicated5)5)What did Mary say John bought?What did Mary say John bought?6)6)What did Mary say What did Mary say thatthat John bought? John bought?Ok, Ok, thatthat is optional. is optional.7)7)Who did Mary say bought coffee?Who did Mary say bought coffee?8)8)*Who did Mary say *Who did Mary say thatthat bought coffee? bought coffee?It’s surprisingly complicatedIt’s surprisingly complicated9)9)Bill thinks Mary is a genius.Bill thinks Mary is a genius.10)10)Her mother thinks Mary is a genius.Her mother thinks Mary is a genius.11)11)She thinks Mary is a genius.She thinks Mary is a genius.12)12)I asked Mary to buy I asked Mary to buy coffeecoffee..13)13)What did you ask Mary to buy?What did you ask Mary to buy?14)14)Who did you say bought coffee?Who did you say bought coffee?15)15)I borrowed the book I borrowed the book BillBill bought in DC. bought in DC.16)16)*Who did you borrow the book bought in DC?*Who did you borrow the book bought in DC?How do people know this?How do people know this?AllAll native speakers of English know this. native speakers of English know this.Little kids weren’t told these rules (or Little kids weren’t told these rules (or punished for violating them)…punished for violating them)… ““You can’t question a subject in a complement You can’t question a subject in a complement embedded with embedded with thatthat””““You can’t use a proper name as an object if You can’t use a proper name as an object if the subject is co-referential.”the subject is co-referential.”Two questionsTwo questionsWhat do people know about their What do people know about their language?language?Including things we know “unconsciously”Including things we know “unconsciously”If we don’t know we know it, how did we If we don’t know we know it, how did we come to know it?come to know it?SystematicitySystematicityWhat people eventually end up with is a What people eventually end up with is a systemsystem with which they can produce with which they can produce (and rate) sentences. A (and rate) sentences. A grammargrammar..Even if you’ve never heard these before, Even if you’ve never heard these before, you know which one is “English” and you know which one is “English” and which one isn’t:which one isn’t:16)16)Eight very lazy elephants drank brandy.Eight very lazy elephants drank brandy.17)17)Eight elephants very lazy brandy drank.Eight elephants very lazy brandy drank.Positive and negative evidencePositive and negative evidenceAdults know if a given sentence S is Adults know if a given sentence S is grammatical or ungrammatical. This is grammatical or ungrammatical. This is part of the knowledge kids gain through part of the knowledge kids gain through language acquisition.language acquisition.Kids hear grammatical sentencesKids hear grammatical sentences((positive evidencepositive evidence))Kids are not generally told which Kids are not generally told which sentences are ungrammaticalsentences are ungrammatical((no negativeno negative evidenceevidence))Positive and negative evidencePositive and negative evidenceOne of the striking things about child One of the striking things about child language is how few language is how few errorserrors they actually they actually make.make.For negative feedback to work, the kids For negative feedback to work, the kids have to have to makemake the errors (so that it can get the errors (so that it can get the negative response).the negative response).But they don’t make the errors.But they don’t make the errors.The “Language instinct”The “Language instinct”The linguistic capacity is part of being The linguistic capacity is part of being human.human.Like having two arms, ten fingers, a vision Like having two arms, ten fingers, a vision system, humans have a language faculty.system, humans have a language faculty.The language faculty (tightly) constrains The language faculty (tightly) constrains what kinds of languages a child can learn.what kinds of languages a child can learn.=“=“Universal GrammarUniversal Grammar” (UG). ” (UG).But languages differBut languages differEnglish, French: English, French: Subject Verb ObjectSubject Verb Object ( (SVOSVO))John ate an appleJohn ate an apple..Pierre a mangé une pommePierre a mangé une pomme..Japanese, Korean: Japanese, Korean: Subject Object VerbSubject
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