Practical Grammar PPs: Difference between revisions
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(1) The cat sat under the table.<br> | (1) The cat sat under the table.<br> | ||
(2) Robin put | (2) Robin put the cat on the table. | ||
To achieve this, we need | To achieve this, we need | ||
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a. '''c-structure''': the whole PP is treated as just another daughter of the verb phrase whose head is the verb selecting the PP. Thus, in (1), the VP has two daughters, a V and a PP. In (2), the VP has three daughters, a V, a DP, and a PP.<br> | a. '''c-structure''': the whole PP is treated as just another daughter of the verb phrase whose head is the verb selecting the PP. Thus, in (1), the VP has two daughters, a V and a PP. In (2), the VP has three daughters, a V, a DP, and a PP.<br> | ||
b. '''grammatical function''': | b. '''grammatical function''': the verbs taking the PP as an argument assign it the grammatical function '''PCOMP (= prepositional complement)'''. | ||
=== The Semantics of PPs expressing locations === | === The Semantics of PPs expressing locations === | ||
Latest revision as of 21:27, 26 July 2025
So far, the arguments of verbs have all been determiner phrases (= DPs) like names, pronouns, or Det-N (the cat) configurations. But verbs can also take complements of other parts of speech. This week, we will encounter a new case: namely, complements which are prepositional phrases (= PPs).
Prepositional Phrases
We want our grammar to generate sentences like the following:
(1) The cat sat under the table.
(2) Robin put the cat on the table.
To achieve this, we need
- lexical items for the new verbs
- a phrase structure rule that creates PPs from a P and a DP
- two new phrase structure rules for verb phrases.
The Syntax of PPs
We make the following assumptions about the internal and external syntax of PPs:
A. The internal structure of the PP
a. the P is the head of the PP
b. the DP daughter of the PP bears the grammatical function OBJ
B. The external relationships of the PP
a. c-structure: the whole PP is treated as just another daughter of the verb phrase whose head is the verb selecting the PP. Thus, in (1), the VP has two daughters, a V and a PP. In (2), the VP has three daughters, a V, a DP, and a PP.
b. grammatical function: the verbs taking the PP as an argument assign it the grammatical function PCOMP (= prepositional complement).
The Semantics of PPs expressing locations
We make the following assumptions about the meaning of locational PPs like under the table:
a. the meaning of the DP the table is a LANDMARK (= orientation point).
b. different prepositions take the landmark as a basis and make different locations, depending on the meaning of the preposition. Thus, under uses the landmark the table to create the location under the table, whereas on makes the location on the table from the same landmark.
c. sentence (1) then says that the cat is sitting in the location under the table and sentence (2) says that Robin put the food into the location on the table.
d. in accordance with this, the whole PP bears the thematic role LOCATION to the verb, and
e. the DP object of the preposition bears the thematic role of LANDMARK to the preposition.
Important note: the Wiki page currently does not allow me to upload pictures. Therefore, I have uploaded to Olat the file
Exercise-8-expected-output.pdf
which gives you the f-structure and the Argument Structure that your grammar should produce for sentences (1) and (2).
Exercise 8
1. Open Grammar 8
2. Implement the analysis for sentences (1)-(2) as described above.
3. Parse.