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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).
== Prepositional Phrases ==
We want our grammar to generate sentences like the following:
(1) The cat sat under the table<br>
(2) Robin put food 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 an NP
# 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<br>
b. the NP 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, an NP, and a PP.<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'''.
=== 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 NP ''the table'' is a LANDMARK (= orientation point).<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>
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>
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  [[Practical_Grammar |'''Main page''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_2|'''Week 2''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_3|'''Week 3''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_4|'''Week 4''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_5|'''Week 5''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_6|'''Week 6''']]  '''Week 8'''  [[Practical_Grammar_9|'''Week 9''']] 
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Revision as of 05:01, 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 9 - 2026-02-04
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. Open your current version of Grammar Grammar 9 - 2026-02-04
2. 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.
3. Parse. Your output should look exactly like the output decribed in the document Exercise-9-expected-output.docx on Olat.





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