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Definition and Role of Syntax in Linguistics

Syntax is the cornerstone of modern linguistic theory and involves knowledge about how to put sentences together from phrases and words. A sentence can be defined in multiple ways, such as a complete thought or speech between pauses. Grammaticality can be determined syntactically and semantically, and what native speakers say is considered grammatical. Syntactic ambiguity involves intermediate structural theories, and recursion in syntax is only limited by human comprehension. Transformational rules can move, insert or delete elements in sentences.

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19 views2 pages

Definition and Role of Syntax in Linguistics

Syntax is the cornerstone of modern linguistic theory and involves knowledge about how to put sentences together from phrases and words. A sentence can be defined in multiple ways, such as a complete thought or speech between pauses. Grammaticality can be determined syntactically and semantically, and what native speakers say is considered grammatical. Syntactic ambiguity involves intermediate structural theories, and recursion in syntax is only limited by human comprehension. Transformational rules can move, insert or delete elements in sentences.

Uploaded by

Fanni
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Introduction to Linguistics

Syntax
Definition of syntax:
- Cornerstone of modern linguistic theory
- Knowledge about:
o How to put sentences together (from phrases)
o How to put words into sentences
Sentence:
- There are several different definitions of a sentence
o A complete thought?
o Stretch of speech between two pauses?
o What a native speaker says is a sentence?

What is grammatical:
- Syntactically, semantically problematic or ungrammatical
- Prescriptively incorrect but grammatical
- Whatever a native speaker says is grammatical
Syntactic ambiguity:
- An intermediate structural theory

Recursion:
- Only limit to recursion is human comprehension
- Dan Everett
The lexicon:
- Contains words and information on them
Transformations:
- Rules that move, insert or delete
- Moving:
o Jon is reading. – Is Jon reading?
- Inserting:
o Jon is not reading.
- Delete:

1
Introduction to Linguistics

o Read! Sit down!


Two levels of analysis:
- Deep and surface structure
Syntactic rules:
- PS-rules
- Lexical insertion rules
- Transformations

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