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So far, the arguments of verbs have all been noun phrases (= NPs) 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).
== Complement Clauses ==


== Prepositional Phrases ==
Next, we come to the exciting topic of complement (= subordinate) clauses. Here are two examples:


We want our grammar to generate sentences like the following:
(1) Fred thought that Lilly disappeared<br>
(2) Fred asked whether Lilly disappeared


(1) The cat sat under the table<br>
There is nothing really special about these structures. As with prepositional phrases, we need
(2) Robin put food on the table


To achieve this, we need
# lexical items for the new verbs
# lexical items for the new verbs
# a phrase structure rule that creates PPs from a P and an NP
# lexical items for the two complementizers ''that'' and ''whether''
# two new phrase structure rules for verb phrases.
# two new phrase structure rules.


=== The Syntax of PPs ===
We make the following assumptions:


We make the following assumptions about the internal and external syntax of PPs:
# ''that'' and ''whether'' belong to the part of speech C (= complementizer).
# A complementizer combines with a following S to form another S.
# The C and the lower S are co-heads of the upper S.
# You need to add a new VP rule which allows a VP to consist of a V and an S. The S bears the GF '''COMP'''.
# Complementizers have no PRED value.


A. The internal structure of the PP
<span style="color: blue>Exercise 9 </span>


a. the P is the head of the PP<br>
1. Open Grammar Grammar 8<br>
b. the NP daughter of the PP bears the grammatical function OBJ
2. Implement the analysis for sentences (1)-(2) as described above.<br>
3. Parse. Your output should look exactly like the output decribed in the document Exercise-9-expected-output.pdf on Olat.


B. The external relationships of the PP
Note that the complementizers in (1) and (2) cannot be exchanged:


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, an NP, and a PP.<br>
(3) *Fred asked that Lilly disappeared<br>
b. '''grammatical function''': we will only deal with PPs that express locations, for example ''under the table'' and ''on the table''. Accordingly, the verbs taking the PP as argument assign it the grammatical function '''LOC'''.
(4) *Fred thought whether Lilly disappeared


=== The Semantics of PPs expressing locations ===
The reason is that there is an incompatibility of clause type information in (3) and (4): the verb ''thought'' requires a declarative clause as its COMP, but
the word ''whether'' can only head interrogative clauses. In (4), we find the opposite incompatibility.


We make the following assumptions about the meaning of locational PPs like ''under the table'':
<span style="color: blue>Exercise 10 </span>


a. the meaning of the NP ''the table'' is a LANDMARK (= orientation point).<br>
1. Add the feature CLAUSE_TYPE to the lexical entries that need it so that (3)-(4) are not accepted by the grammar for the reasons stated above, but (1)-(2) stay grammatical.<br>
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.<br>
2. Parse. Your output should look exactly like the output decribed in the document Exercise-9-expected-output.docx on Olat.
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'''.<br>
d. in accordance with this, the whole PP bears the thematic role LOCATION to the verb, and<br>
e. the NP 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).


<span style="color: blue>Exercise 8</span>


1. Open Grammar-8<br>
2. Implement the analysis for sentences (1)-(2) as described above.<br>
3. Parse.
<br>
<br>
 
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Latest revision as of 05:28, 16 June 2026

Complement Clauses

Next, we come to the exciting topic of complement (= subordinate) clauses. Here are two examples:

(1) Fred thought that Lilly disappeared
(2) Fred asked whether Lilly disappeared

There is nothing really special about these structures. As with prepositional phrases, we need

  1. lexical items for the new verbs
  2. lexical items for the two complementizers that and whether
  3. two new phrase structure rules.

We make the following assumptions:

  1. that and whether belong to the part of speech C (= complementizer).
  2. A complementizer combines with a following S to form another S.
  3. The C and the lower S are co-heads of the upper S.
  4. You need to add a new VP rule which allows a VP to consist of a V and an S. The S bears the GF COMP.
  5. Complementizers have no PRED value.

Exercise 9

1. Open Grammar Grammar 8
2. Implement the analysis for sentences (1)-(2) as described above.
3. Parse. Your output should look exactly like the output decribed in the document Exercise-9-expected-output.pdf on Olat.

Note that the complementizers in (1) and (2) cannot be exchanged:

(3) *Fred asked that Lilly disappeared
(4) *Fred thought whether Lilly disappeared

The reason is that there is an incompatibility of clause type information in (3) and (4): the verb thought requires a declarative clause as its COMP, but the word whether can only head interrogative clauses. In (4), we find the opposite incompatibility.

Exercise 10

1. Add the feature CLAUSE_TYPE to the lexical entries that need it so that (3)-(4) are not accepted by the grammar for the reasons stated above, but (1)-(2) stay grammatical.
2. Parse. Your output should look exactly like the output decribed in the document Exercise-9-expected-output.docx on Olat.





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