Syntax

A branch of linguistics that is concerned with the study of the structure of a sentence and ordering of its elements. The word syntax itself derives from Greek words meaning ‘together’ or ‘arrangement’,

Generative Grammar

generative grammar   Refers to a particular approach to the study of syntax. A generative grammar of a language attempts to give a set of rules that will correctly predict which combinations of words will form grammatical sentences. In most approaches to generative grammar, the rules will also predict the morphology of a sentence

Generative grammar originates in the work of Noam Chomsky, beginning in the late 1950s. Early versions of Chomsky's theory were called Transformational Grammar

Linguists , as inspired by Chomsky, tried to produce a grammar that specifies the “ well-formed “ sentences.

This is why this grammar seems to have a lot in common with mathematics. “ I will consider a language to be a set of ( finite and infinite ) of sentences.

The term “ generative “ can be best explained by the rules of mathematics. Take the following formula : 3x + 2y = …….

X ( boy ) y ( book ) The little boy read the yellow book X ( boy ) y ( book ) The little boy read the yellow book. The smart boy threw the small note book. That man’s boy was carrying a big book. Last night , that boy who is dancing beautifully, was reading in the book of animals.

Productivity of the language Our ability to create totally novel yet grammatically accurate sentences with finite or limited number of rules.

Deep and surface structures

John broke the window. The window was broken by John John broke the window. The window was broken by John. It was John who broke the window. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I know Mary. Mary knows me.

The surface structure of a sentence is the final stage in the syntactic representation of a sentence which provides the phonological component of the grammar and which most closely corresponds to the structure of a sentence we articulate or hear.

The Deep Structure is an abstract level of structural organization in which all elements determining structural interpretation are recognized. The same deep structure can the source of many other surface structures.

Structural Ambiguity

Ann whacked the man with an umbrella .

He loves his dog more than his wife. Flying planes can be dangerous He loves his dog more than his wife. Flying planes can be dangerous. I shot an elephant in my pajamas. He ate the cookies on the table. American history teacher. English language teacher.

The chicken is ready to eat The chicken is ready to eat. The parents of the bride and groom were waiting outside. John saw the man on the mountain with a telescope. they are hunting dogs.