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OverviewA-structure and F-structure [chapter 14]Argument structure/(-structure of the predicate maps to GRs (f-structure), which in turn is in a correspondence relation (whose character is language-particular) with c-structure.How do we know which thematic roles of the predicate are assYields a markedness hierarchy (assuming negative value is unSemantic rolesUse hierarchy to yield ordered list of arguments.Apply alterations like passive or object deletion. Result: Classify arguments by r/o features.Add default features.Map a-structure to f-structure using mapping principles.F-structure and c-structureF-structures are attribute-value matrices.C-structure rules include constraints on the corresponding fLFG f-structures look like HPSG feature-structures, but are We can demonstrate the correspondence between a given c-structure and a corresponding f-structure by assigning unique indices to the nodes of the c-structure that correspond to f-sThis is mapped out on pp. 56-60 of the textbook.A nominative NP can map to SUBJ in f-structure even if it isConsequence: non-configurational c-structures (e.g. S-->C*)Head Mobility and coheads (cf. head movement)By Economy of Expression, there should be no I in Mary swimsRequirement: all projective categories must have an "extendWhy? With I and S as coheads, it doesn't matter whether PREThis is LFG's counterpart ti head-movement from lexical to f"Object shift" is the choice of the structure in (39), obeyiAdverbs including negation are freely interspersed among theThe problem: if this is head movement, why the full NP in (4VP remnant approaches? If VP is evacuated for case reasons,XCOMPs (cf. Raising)Look familiar from HPSG? Actually, the HPSG community borroA locally outranks B if A and B belong to the same f-structuA outranks B if A locally outranks some C which contains B.ANAPHORIC CONTROLBy "functional uniqueness" (coherence?), there will be no eBy Economy of Expression, there will be no c-structure subjeWHAT DOES THE WORK DONE BY MOVEMENT IN GB/MINIMALIST APPROACSyntactic Models3/6/2006 LFG notes ⎡ ⎡PRED lion⎤ ⎤ ⎢ SUBJ ⎢ ⎥ ⎥ ⎢ ⎣ NUM PL⎦ ⎥ ⎢ TENSE PRES⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ PRED live < ... >⎥ endent ⎢ (2) f-structure: ⎡ ⎤ ⎥ ⎢ ⎢ ⎥ ⎥ ⎢ ⎢ CASE LOC⎥ ⎥ ⎢ OBLloc ⎢ ⎥ PRED in < ... >⎥ ⎢ ⎢ ⎥ ⎥ s ⎢ ⎢ ⎡ PRED forest⎤ ⎥ ⎥ ression ⎢ OBJ ⎢ ⎢ ⎥ ⎥ ⎥ DEF + phrase ⎣ ⎣ ⎣ ⎦ ⎦ ⎦ 1. Overview Relational Grammar: Laws govern the mapping from lexical semantics to grammatical relations (including laws that govern the relations among GR-patterns) that are indepof phrase-structure. LFG: "[LFG] choose[s] a more abstract representation of the grammatical functionsubject and object, one which is neutral between the differing modes of expof languages. On this alternative, grammatical functions are not reducible tostructure configurations..." [p. 9] (1) c-structure: S (↑ SUBJ) = ↓ ↑= ↓ NP VP ↑= ↓ ↑= ↓ (↑ OBLloc)= ↓ N V PP lions ↑= ↓ (↑ OBJ) = ↓ (↑ NUM )= PL P DP/NP (↑ PRED ) = 'lion' in ↑= ↓ ↑= ↓ live (↑PRED)= 'in' <...>' D N (↑TENSE ) = PRES (↑SUBJ ) = ↓ the forest (↓ PERSON) = 3 (↑DEF) = + (↑NUM)=SG (↓ NUM) = PL (↑ PRED ) = 'forest' (↑PRED) = 'live'<(↑SUBJ)(↑OBLloc)> ' 2. A-structure and F-structure [chapter 14]  Argument structure/θ-structure of the predicate maps to GRs (f-structure), which in turn is in a correspondence relation (whose character is language-particular) with c-structure.  How do we know which thematic roles of the predicate are associated with which grammtical functions? Answer: a distinct system maps A-structure to f-structure. (3) Thematic hierarchy [determines A-structure prominence] agent > beneficiary > experience/goal > instrument > patient/theme > locative Notation: most prominent semantic role of a predicator is θ ("theta hat"). (4) Feature Decomposition of Argument Functions -restricted +restricted –objective SUBJ OBLθ +objective OBJ OBJ  Yields a markedness hierarchy (assuming negative value is unmarked) SUBJ > OBJ, OBLθ > OBJθ Cite as: David Pesetsky, course materials for 24.960 Syntactic Models, Spring 2006. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu/), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on [DD Month YYYY].Syntactic Models 2006/LFG - page 2 (5) Semantic classification of A-structure roles for Function patient-like roles: θ | [-r] secondary patientlike roles: θ (e.g. benefactive) | [+o] other semantic roles: θ (e.g. locative) | [-o] [A-structures may also have empty argument roles with no semantic content: these are [-r]. (See discussion of Raising below.)] (6) Mapping Principles a. Subject roles: (i) θ[-o] is mapped onto SUBJ when initial in the a-structure; otherwise (ii) θ[-r] is mapped onto SUBJ [NB no reference to initial: see (17) below.] b. Other roles are mapped onto the the [most marked] compatible function in [(4)]. (7) Passive: θ | ø (8) Active agentive verb: pound < x y > a-structure [-o] [-r] | | f-structure S O (by (6a)i/ii) (9) Passive agentive verb: pounded < x y > a-structure [-o] [-r] ø | f-structure S (by (6a)ii) (10) Unaccusative: freeze < x > a-structure [-r] | f-structure S (by (6a)ii) NB: Object-like properties of unaccusative subjects (e.g. subject of resultative) are due to the [-r] feature that they have in common with the subjects of active transitive verbs. Subject-like properties are due to the mapping of this argument to the subject function. (11) Unergative: bark < x > a-structure [-o] | f-structure S (12) Asymmetrical object parameter: *θ[-r] θ[-r] (true in English) In a language like English, the lower argument is assigned [+o] instead of [-r]. Thus: (13) Ditransitive 'cook Mary dinner' (English) cook-for < x y z > a-structure [-o] [-r] [+o] | | | f-structure S O Oθ (14) Passive of ditransitive [exercise for the reader] (15) Unspecified object deletion: θ (patient


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