Semantic

So far…
• General Approach
– Universal Grammar (UG) / Language Instinct

Phrase Structure

• Data
– native speakers’ i t iti ti k ’ intuitions ( (acceptability j d t bilit judgments) t )

• Resulting Theory of Grammar
– words, phrases, categories for words and phrases (e.g., Nouns, Verbs; Noun Phrases, Verb Phrases) (basic concepts any theory of grammar must have in order to capture the data)
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Next:
• The internal structure of phrases and how we can represent it. • H How phrases are put t h t together to create th t t sentences.

Phrase Structure
My very funny friend in Russia will go to Det Adv A N P N Aux V P a concert tomorrow. t t Det N Adv My very funny friend in Russia NP → Det AP N PP NP → (Det) (AP*) N (PP*)
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Phrase Internal Structure
• why (AP*):
– My talented handsome funny friend A A A – My friend

Phrase Internal Structure very funny AP→ Mod A AP→ (Mod) A (PP) • why (PP):
– proud (of himself)

• why (PP*):
– My friend in Russia with a convertible PP PP – My friend
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Phrase Internal Structure
[in Russia] PP P NP PP (Mod) P (NP) [tomorrow] AdvP Adv AdvP (Mod) Adv (very) infrequently
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Phrase Internal Structure
[go to a concert tomorrow] VP→ V PP AdvP VP→ (AdvP) V (NP*) (PP*) (AdvP*) why NP* : give Mary the book NP NP why PP*: go to a concert in his convertible PP PP why AdvP*: go to a concert briefly tomorrow AdvP AdvP
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Phrase Internal Structure
[My very funny friend in Russia will go to a concert tomorrow] S NP (Aux) VP

Phrase Structure Rules for English
S → NP (Aux) VP NP → (Det) (AP*) N (PP*) VP → (AdvP) V (NP*) (PP*) (AdvP*) PP → (Mod) P (NP) AP → (Mod) A (PP) AdvP → (Mod) Adv (PP)

[S [NP My very funny friend in Russia] will [VP go to a concert tomorrow]]

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Embedding 1
• • • • • A mouse A mouse in a house A mouse in a house on a street A mouse in a house on a street with a lamp p A mouse in a house on a street with a lamp without a switch • • • •

Embedding 2
Bill