1. Ambiguity and Transformations
Deny A. Kwary
Airlangga University
Ambiguity and Transformations

2. Ambiguity: a word, phrase or sentence with multiple meanings (p. 122)
Synthetic buffalo hides (NP)
Synthetic buffalo hides (NP)
Synthetic buffalo hides
Synthetic buffalo hides
Buffalo hides that are synthetic.
Hides of synthetic buffalo.

3. Ambiguities often lead to humorous results
For sale: an antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.
 what does “thick legs and large drawers” refer to?
The desk or the lady?

4. Structural Ambiguity (pp
Structural Ambiguity (pp ) The boy saw the man with the telescope S NP
Aux VP
Det N V NP PP
Det N P NP
Det N
The
boy
past
saw
the
man
with
the
telescope

5. Structural Ambiguity (pp
Structural Ambiguity (pp ) The boy saw the man with the telescope S NP
Aux VP
Det NP N V
Det N PP P NP
Det N
The
boy
past
saw
the
man
with
the
telescope

6. Exercise # 4
p.166

7. Consider the following sentences:
Susie had a shower after she got up.
After she got up, Susie had a shower.
After Susie got up, she had a shower.
She had a shower after Susie got up.
Do the four sentences above contain the same words?
Yes, they do
In which sentences can the pronoun ‘she’ probably refer to Susie?
Sentences #1, 2, & 3
The rule: An anaphor many not both precede and command its antecedents

8. What does it mean? Jan and Larry drank whisky and sherry with respect.
Jan and Larry drank whisky and sherry, respectively
Jan and Larry drank whisky and sherry with respect.
Jan drank whisky and Larry drank sherry.

9. Transformation: A special type of rule that can move an element from one position to another
Several types of transformations
Declarative – Interrogative
Active – Passive
There sentences
PP preposing

10. Declarative – Interrogative
Move the auxiliary to the left of the subject.
The boy will leave. S
Will the boy leave? S NP
Aux VP
Aux NP VP
Det N V
Det N V
The
boy
will
leave
Will
the
boy
leave
The deep structure
The surface structure

11. The Wh Movement S NP Aux VP Det NP N V Det N The man should repair
Surface structure: Which car should the man repair?
Deep structure: S NP
Aux VP
Det NP N V
Det N
The
man
should
repair
which
car

12. Draw the deep structure of the following sentences
Will the boss hire Hillary?
Is that player leaving the team?
Who should the director call?
What is Joanne eating?

13. The syntactic rules in a grammar account for at least:
The grammaticality of sentences
Word order
Hierarchical organisation of sentences
Grammatical relations such as subject and object
Whether different structures have different meanings or the same meaning
The creative aspect of language

14. That’s All For Today See You Next Week
Deny A. Kwary
Airlangga University
That’s All For Today
See You Next Week