1Week 3. X-bar TheoryCAS LX 522Syntax IBack to the trees: X-bar Theoryn Consider our current NP rule:n NP: (D) (AdjP+) N (PP+)n This yields a “flat structure” where all of thecomponents of DP c-command each other.NPD N PPthis book PNPofNPPpoemsP NPwithD AdjPtheNcoverAdjblueAdjPAdjbigX-bar Theory: NPn I bought this big book of poems with the bluecover.n You bought this small one.NPD N PPthis book PNPofNPPpoemsP NPwithD AdjPtheNcoverAdjblueAdjPAdjbigX-bar Theory: NPn We can substitute one for book of poems with the bluecover, which should mean book of poems with theblue cover is a constituent, but it isn’t in ourstructure.NPD N PPthis book PNPofNPPpoemsP NPwithD AdjPtheNcoverAdjblueAdjPAdjbigX-bar Theory: NPn I bought this small one with the red cover.n We can also substitute one in for book of poemsalone, which should thus also be a constituent.NPD N PPthis book PNPofNPPpoemsP NPwithD AdjPtheNcoverAdjblueAdjPAdjbigX-bar Theory: NPn This suggests a more deeply embedded structure:?D N PPthis book PNPofNPPpoemsP NPwithD AdjPtheNcoverAdjblueAdjPAdjbig?NP2X-bar Theory: NPn These “intermediate” nodes of NP: N¢ (N-bar).n Notice that you can also say I bought this one.N¢D N PPthis book PNPofNPPpoemsP NPwithD AdjPtheNcoverAdjblueAdjPAdjbigN¢NPX-bar Theory: NPn So, our final NP looks like this:N¢D N PPthis book PNPofNPPpoemsP NPwithD AdjPtheNcoverAdjblueAdjPAdjbigN¢NPN¢X-bar Theory: NPn We need to break up our NP rule; instead ofn NP: (D) (AdjP+) N (PP+)n We have:n NP: (D) N¢n N¢ : AdjP N¢n N¢ : N¢ PPn N¢ : N (PP)n These yield the same results on the surface (notethe recursion and the optionality) but producedifferent structures (in terms of constituency).n Notice also that under these rules, any node of NPhas no more than two daughters (binarybranching).X-bar Theory: VPn The same kind of thing holds of VP as wellas NP. Instead of using one (which standsfor N¢) we can try doing replacementsusing do so, and we’ll get a very similarresult.n Our old rule generated a flat structure forVP as well (all PPs, NPs, CPs, etc. in a VPc-command each other).n VP: (AdvP+) V ({NP/CP}) (PP+) (AdvP+)X-bar Theory: VPn VP: (AdvP+) V ({NP/CP}) (PP+) (AdvP+)n I quickly left after Mary did so.n I left quickly after Mary did so.n I ate the pizza with gusto and Mary did sowith quiet reserve.n I ate the pizza with gusto immediately andMary did so later.X-bar Theory: VPn Again, it looks like we need to break our ruleinto parts using V¢ (for which do so cansubstitute).n VP: (AdvP+) V ({NP/CP}) (PP+) (AdvP+)n To:n VP: V¢n V¢: AdvP V¢n V¢: V¢ PPn V¢: V¢ AdvPn V¢: V ({NP/CP})n Again, this is (almost) the same on the surface,but yields a different structure. And again,binary.3X-bar Theory: VPn Our new rules do not quite make thesame predictions about the surfacestrings of VPs, however. The old ruleshad (PP+) before (AdvP+), the newrules allow them to intermingle.n But that’s actually better:n John grabbed the book quickly from thetable triumphantly.n John grabbed the book off the table quicklywith a devilish grinX-bar Theory: AdjPn We should now be growing suspicious of ourother rules, now that we have had to split up NPand VP and introduce N¢ and V¢ nodes.n The governor was [AdjP very concerned about housingcosts ]; the tenants were [AdjP even more so ].n The studio was [AdjP unusually pleased with its actorsand confident of success ].n The first statement was true; the second was less so.n This gives us evidence ofn AdjP: (AdvP) Adj¢n Adj¢ : Adj (PP)X-bar Theory: PPn The frisbee landed on the roof.n It landed right on the edge.n John knocked it right off the roof and into thetrashcan.n Mark was at odds with his supervisor.n Mark was in love and at odds with his supervisor.n So, this gives us (assuming right is an AdjP):n PP: (AdjP) P¢n P¢ : P¢ (PP)n P¢ : P DPX-bar theoryn PP: (AdjP) P¢n P¢ : P¢ (PP)n P¢ : P DPn NP: (D) N¢n N¢ : AdjP N¢n N¢ : N¢ PPn N¢ : N (PP)The main idea behind X-bar theory is to explain the similaritybetween the rules for each category. It is an attempt togeneralize over the rules we have.AdjP: (AdvP) Adj¢Adj¢ : Adj (PP)VP: V¢V¢ : AdvP V¢V¢ : V¢ PPV¢ : V¢ AdvPV¢ : V ({NP/CP})X-bar theoryn PP: (AdjP) P¢n P¢ : P¢ (PP)n P¢ : P DPn NP: (D) N¢n N¢ : AdjP N¢n N¢ : N¢ PPn N¢ : N (PP)The X in X-bar theory is a variable over categories. When wetalk of XP, we mean to be describing any kind of phrase (VP,NP, AdjP, AdvP, PP, TP, CP, …).AdjP: (AdvP) Adj¢Adj¢ : Adj (PP)VP: V¢V¢ : AdvP V¢V¢ : V¢ PPV¢ : V¢ AdvPV¢ : V ({NP/CP})X-bar theoryn PP: (AdjP) P¢n P¢ : P¢ (PP)n P¢ : P DPn NP: (D) N¢n N¢ : AdjP N¢n N¢ : N¢ PPn N¢ : N (PP)The rules all have the following form:XP: ZP X¢ X¢ : (YP) X¢X¢ : X¢ (YP) X¢ : X (WP)AdjP: (AdvP) Adj¢Adj¢ : Adj (PP)VP: V¢V¢ : AdvP V¢V¢ : V¢ PPV¢ : V¢ AdvPV¢ : V ({NP/CP})4X-bar theoryn X-bar theory elevates this to a principle of phrasestructure; it hypothesizes that all phrases in asyntactic tree conform to this template.n XP : (ZP) X¢n A phrase (XP) consists of optionally another phrase and abar-level projection (X¢).n X¢ : YP X¢ or X¢: X¢ YPn A bar-level projection (X¢) can consist of another X¢ andanother phrase (recursive).n X¢ : X (WP)n A bar-level projection (X¢) consists of a head of the samecategory (X) and optionally another phrase.X-bar theoryn Structurally, this looks likethis (of course, there can beany number of X¢ nodes, herewe see three).n Different parts of thisstructure are given differentnames (and they act differentfrom one another, as we’llsee).ZPX¢YPX WPX¢X¢XPYPX-bar theoryn The phrase which isimmediately dominated byXP (designated ZP here) isthe specifier.n A phrase dominated by X¢and the sister of X¢ is anadjunct.n The phrase which is sister toX is the complement.ZPX¢YPX WPX¢X¢XPYPX-bar theoryn We have posited a structuraldifference between complements(WP here, of which there is onlyone) and adjuncts (YP here, ofwhich there can be any number),and so we should expect to findthat they behave differently.n Consider NP…ZPX¢YPX WPX¢X¢NPYPX-bar Theory: NPn The head of this NP is book.N¢D N PPthe book PNPofNPPpoemsP NPwithD AdjPtheNcoverAdjblueAdjPAdjbigN¢NPN¢X-bar Theory: NPn The head of this NP is book.n The complement is of poems.N¢D N PPthe book PNPofNPPpoemsP NPwithD AdjPtheNcoverAdjblueAdjPAdjbigN¢NPN¢5X-bar Theory: NPn The head of this NP is book.n The complement is of poems.n With the blue cover and big
View Full Document
![Nom from finite T no case from nonfinite T (T [inf], M to)](https://media.gradebuddy.com/documents/386389/7a3e15e0-7507-4825-a32d-f3e6fb67d2eb.png)
Unlocking...