CAS LX 522 Syntax IPreviously, in LX522…Slide 3Who’s in charge here?Predicates, arguments, and propositionsVerbs and argumentsSlide 7PredicatesThematic relationsCommon thematic relationsSlide 11Slide 12Intransitives: Unergatives and unaccusativesq-roles-rolesThe Unique q GeneralizationC-selectionC-selection (“Subcategorization”)Slide 19S-selectionFeature checkingSlide 22Slide 23Slide 24Slide 25Slide 26Chris glanced at PatWeek 3a. Week 3a. -roles, feature -roles, feature checkingchecking3.5-3.63.5-3.6CAS LX 522CAS LX 522Syntax ISyntax IPreviously, in LX522…Previously, in LX522…We left off last time We left off last time exploring the idea that exploring the idea that sentences are built from sentences are built from syntactic objects by using syntactic objects by using the operation the operation MergeMerge, taking , taking two syntactic objects and two syntactic objects and forming a new one from forming a new one from them.them.Big picture:Big picture: What we’re What we’re trying to model is a system trying to model is a system that can construct all—and that can construct all—and only—those strings of words only—those strings of words that correspond to that correspond to sentences of a language sentences of a language (e.g., English). If we (e.g., English). If we succeed, this system is (at succeed, this system is (at least isomorphic to) what least isomorphic to) what we know when we know the we know when we know the language.language.B CDEPreviously, in LX522…Previously, in LX522…So far, we have:So far, we have:The lexicon The lexicon (containing (containing words, bundles of features)words, bundles of features)MergeMerge (forms a syntactic (forms a syntactic object from two others).object from two others).Merging two objects yields a Merging two objects yields a new object that has the new object that has the properties of one of the two properties of one of the two objects.objects.Merging Merging eateat and and lunchlunch yields yields a object that has the same a object that has the same kinds of properties as kinds of properties as eat.eat.The object whose features The object whose features determine the features of determine the features of the new object (the new object (projectproject) is ) is the the headhead of the new object—of the new object—the most important the most important component.component.The question now is: The question now is: how how does Merge know which one is does Merge know which one is the head?the head?B CDEWho’s in charge here?Who’s in charge here?The idea we are going The idea we are going to pursue here is that to pursue here is that one of the two objects one of the two objects needsneeds Merge to happen— Merge to happen—and and the needy one is the needy one is the headthe head..What does it mean to What does it mean to “need to Merge”?“need to Merge”?Consider Consider hithit. This . This can’t really stand on can’t really stand on its own. It doesn’t its own. It doesn’t mean anything (its mean anything (its truth can’t be truth can’t be evaluated) without evaluated) without providing a hitter and providing a hitter and a hittee.a hittee.B CDEPredicates, arguments, Predicates, arguments, and propositionsand propositionsConventional wisdom has it that a Conventional wisdom has it that a sentence needs a subject and a sentence needs a subject and a predicate.predicate.The idea is that the sentence expresses The idea is that the sentence expresses that the property signified by the that the property signified by the predicate holds of the subject.predicate holds of the subject.Pat dancedPat danced..DancedDanced is the predicate, it’s a property is the predicate, it’s a property that that PatPat, the subject, has (if the , the subject, has (if the sentence is true). Something that can be sentence is true). Something that can be true or false, a “complete thought”, is true or false, a “complete thought”, is a proposition.a proposition.Verbs and argumentsVerbs and argumentsSome are basically complete as they stand.Some are basically complete as they stand.Rain:Rain: It rained. It rained.Some have only a subject, they can’t have Some have only a subject, they can’t have an object—the an object—the intransitiveintransitive verbs verbs (1-place (1-place predicates)predicates)..Sleep: Sleep: Bill sleptBill slept; ; *Bill slept the book*Bill slept the book..Some also need an object—the Some also need an object—the transitivetransitive verbs verbs (2-place predicates)(2-place predicates)..Hit: Hit: *Bill hit*Bill hit; ; Bill hit the pillowBill hit the pillow..Some need two objects—Some need two objects—ditransitiveditransitive verbs verbs (3-place predicates)(3-place predicates)..Put: Put: *Bill put*Bill put; ; *Bill put the book*Bill put the book;;Bill put the book on the tableBill put the book on the table..Verbs and argumentsVerbs and argumentsThe “participants” in an event denoted by The “participants” in an event denoted by the verb are the the verb are the argumentsarguments of that verb.of that verb.Some verbs require one argument, some Some verbs require one argument, some require two arguments, some require three require two arguments, some require three arguments, some require none.arguments, some require none.Intuitively, the number of arguments is Intuitively, the number of arguments is the number of things that a verb needs in the number of things that a verb needs in order to make a proposition (something order to make a proposition (something that can be either true or false).that can be either true or false).PredicatesPredicatesWe will consider verbs to be We will consider verbs to be predicatespredicates which define properties of which define properties of and/or relations between the and/or relations between the argumentsarguments..Bill hit the ballBill hit the ballThere was a hitting, Bill did the hitting, There was a hitting, Bill did the hitting, the ball was affected by the hitting.the ball was affected by the hitting.Different arguments have different Different arguments have different rolesroles in the event. (e.g., The hitter, in the event. (e.g., The hitter, the hittee)the hittee)Thematic relationsThematic relationsIt has come to be standard It has come to be standard practice to think of the practice to
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