Introduction to Syntax, LINGUIST 401Feb 10, 2005Categories1 Major lexical categories of EnglishN(oun): dog, book, jelly, sincerity, chaos,...P(reposition): in, on, among, away, atop, under, until,...V(erb): run, play, contemplate, parse,...A(djective): happy, tired, orange, crucial, scared,...Det(erminer): the, every, all, a, most, many, few,...Adv(erb): happily, tiredly, crucially, often, sometimes,...2 The big questions1. What distinguishes each of these categories from the others?2. Doeslinguistictheoryneedtorecognize eachofthesecategoriesas primitives?3. Are these categories universal?4. Are there other categories than these?5. Howdothesecategoriescombinewitheachothertoformphrases?3 Exploring the big questionsBelow are a number of tests that purport to distinguish each of theabove categories from the others.When using the tests, it is vital to ask:Does this test uniquely identify the word class in question fromall others?If it does not uniquely identify the word class in question, thenwhich classes does it distinguish among?Doall thewordsinthiswordclasspassthetest, or do only someof them pass the test?24 NounsCan inflect for number (singular=plural)Can inflect for genderCannot have noun phrase sistersCan be modified by adjectivesMeaningful count=mass distinctionVery open class of lexical items: new nouns appear all the time,and it is possible to coin new ones whenever we want5 VerbsCan inflect for tenseCaninflectforaspect(e.g.,theprogressiveformrunning, formedwith the suffix -ing)Can immediately follow a modal verb (can, could, shall, should,may, might, and perhaps others)36 AdjectivesCan be modified by adverbsCan be modified by veryCan modify nounsCan be inflected for the comparative (-er) and the superlative(-est)Can appear immediately following seem, appear, and become7 PrepositionsCan be modified by rightSeem to form a closed class (that is, new prepositions emergerelatively rarely, and it is almost impossible to coin new ones)Can appear next to the verb journey and head (journey to the store,journey into work, *journey the store,...)48 DeterminersCan immediately precede the phrase other poem or other poemsForm a closed classAffect the singular=plural marking on their associated nouns9 AdverbsEnd in -lyModify