X-bar Theory: Understanding Intermediate Projections in NP, VP, and AdjP, Lecture notes of Linguistics

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X-bar Theory

Motivating intermediate projections

Ling 322

Read

(^) Syntax

, Ch. 6

(Lecture notes based on Andrew Carnie’s notes)

Flat NP structure

NP

(^) (D) (AdjP+) N (PP+)

I bought [that big book of poems with the blue cover].

NP

that D

AdjP big A

N

book

PP

of P

N NP

poems

PP

P

with

NP

the D

blue Adj AdjP

N

cover

Problem with Flat NP Structure (cont.)

Conjunction: Only constituents of the same category can be conjoined. (3)

Calvin is [the [dean of humanities] and [director of social sciences]].

NP

the D

N

dean

PP

of P

N NP

humanities

(^) Evidence for articulated structure

Articulated NP Structures

the [dean of humanities]

NP

the D

?

N

dean

PP

of humanities

that [big [[book of poems] with the blue cover]]

NP

the D

?

big AP

?

?

N

book

PP

of poems

PP

with the blue cover

New NP Rules with Intermediate Projections

a.

NP

(^) →

(^) (D) N

′

b.

N ′ → (^) (AdjP) N

′

c.

N ′ → (^) N ′ (PP)

d.

N ′ → (^) N (PP)

QUESTION: Provide parsed trees for the following NPs, using the rules above. (5)

a.

owners of big cars without children

b.

the big yellow box of cookies with the pink lid

c.

the dangers of too much cholesterol

in (6) to reQUESTION: Using the rules in (4), provide the parsed tree for the bracketed NP

fl ect the constituency indicated by the

(^) one

-replacement.

N P[

that big book of poems with the blue cover], and not this

(^) one

(^) with the

red cover

Flat VP Structure

VP

(^) (AdvP+) V (NP) (AdvP+) (PP+)

John [often sings opera loudly at church].

VP

often Adv^ AdvP

V

sings

N NP

opera

loudly Adv AdvP

PP

at P

N NP

church

Problem with Flat VP Structure (cont.)

Conjunction (9)

The chef [eats beans] and [tosses salads] with forks.

VP

V

tosses

N NP

salads

PP

with forks

(^) Evidence for articulated structure

Articulated VP Structure

[tosses salads] with forks

? VP

?

V

tosses

NP

salads

PP

with forks

[often [[[sings opera] loudly] at church]]

? VP

oftenAdvP

?

?

?

V

sings

operaNP

loudlyAdvP

PP

at church

New VP Rules with Intermediate Projections

a.

VP

(^) →

(^) V ′

b.

V ′ → (^) (AdvP) V

′

c.

V ′ → (^) V ′

AdvP/PP

d.

V ′ → (^) V (NP)

(11) QUESTION: Provide parsed trees for the following VPs, using the rules above.

a.

He jumped over

b.

He jumped over the ditch

c.

Bill frequently got his buckets from the store for a dollar

d.

and washed the dishes with soapHolmes cleaned the knife carefully with a handkerchief

Flat AdjP Structure

AdjP

(^) (AdvP+) Adj (PP)

Bob is [very angry about social violence].

AdjP

very Adv^ AdvP

Adj

angry

PP

P

about

NP

social violence

Articulated AdjP Structure

[afraid of cats] without exception

AdjP ?

?

Adj afraid

PP

of cats

PP

without exception

[very [angry about social violence]]

AdjP ?

veryAdvP

?

Adj?

angry

PP

about social violence

Intermediate Projections in AdjP

We will use Adj

′ (Adj-bar) to refer to the intermediate projections in AdjP.

Adj AdjP ′

Adj ′

afraid Adj

PP of cats

PP

without exception

Adj AdjP ′

very^ AdvP

Adj ′

Adj ′

angry Adj

PP

about social violence

So (^) replacement: Replace a Adj

′ node with

(^) so

.

Adj

s can be conjoined.′

Adj AdjP ′

Adj ′

Adj ′

fond Adj

PP

of dogs

and Conj

Adj ′

afraid Adj

PP of cats

PP

without exception

Flat PP Structure

PP

(^) (AdvP) P (NP) (PP)

Mary is [very in love with her

(^) fi ance].

PP

very Adv AdvP

in P

loveNP

PP

with her

(^) fi ance

Problem with Flat PP Structure

So (^) replacement: Only constituents can be replaced with pro-forms.

a.

Mary was very [in love with her

(^) fi ance], but Sue was less [so].

b.

Mary was very [in love] with her

(^) fi ance, but Sue was less [so] with

her husband.

(19) Conjunction

Kim was [in love] and [at odds] with her boss.

PP

very Adv AdvP

in P

loveNP

PP

with her

(^) fi ance

PP

at P

oddsPP

PP

with her boss

(^) Evidence for articulated structure