Evidence for Syntactic Constituents
(Based on Radford (1988), Chapter 2)
Preposing
(1)
I cant stand your elder sister .
(2)
a.
Your elder sister I can’t stand.
b. * Your elder I can’t stand sister .
c. * Elder sister I can’t stand your .
d. * Sister I can’t stand your elder .
e. * Your I can’t stand elder sister .
Generalization:
Only phrasal constituents (i.e. whole phrases) can undergo Preposing.
Prof. Gert Webelhuth
Evidence for Syntactic Constituents[.5cm] (Based on Radford (1988), Chapter 2)
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Coordination, 1
(3)
a.
John wrote to Mary and to Fred (= PP and PP )
b.
John wrote a letter and a postcard (= NP and NP )
c. * John wrote a letter and to Fred (= NP and PP )
d. * John wrote to Fred and a letter (= PP and NP )
Generalization:
Only identical categories can be conjoined, idiomatically.
Prof. Gert Webelhuth
Evidence for Syntactic Constituents[.5cm] (Based on Radford (1988), Chapter 2)
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Coordination, 2
(4)
a. Good linguists and philosophers are rare (N and N)
b. John is a very kind and considerate person (A and A)
c. There are arguments for and against this claim (P and P)
d. J.R. walks and talks like a true Texan (V and V)
e. You can bring these and those books (D and D)
f. He opened the door quite slowly and deliberately (ADV and ADV)
Generalization:
Only identical categories can be conjoined, idiomatically.
Prof. Gert Webelhuth
Evidence for Syntactic Constituents[.5cm] (Based on Radford (1988), Chapter 2)
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Coordination, 3
(5)
a. [ NP The man next door] and [ NP his wife] are very nice.
b. He is a [ AP very shy] and [ AP rather inarticulate] man.
c. He went [ PP to London] and [ PP to Paris].
d. He may [ VP go to London] and [ VP visit his mother].
e. John drives [ ADVP very slowly] and [ ADVP very carefully].
Generalization:
Only identical categories can be conjoined, idiomatically.
Prof. Gert Webelhuth
Evidence for Syntactic Constituents[.5cm] (Based on Radford (1988), Chapter 2)
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Proforms
Prof. Gert Webelhuth
Evidence for Syntactic Constituents[.5cm] (Based on Radford (1988), Chapter 2)
6 / 1
Pronouns replace NPs
(6)
a. SPEAKER A: What do you think of [ NP the [ N guy] who wrote that unbelievably boring [ N book] on
Transformational Grammar] ?
b. SPEAKER B: I cant stand [ NP him] .
(7)
a. * What do you think of [ NP the him who wrote that unbelievably boring it on Transformational Grammar ?
b.
What do you think of [ NP him] ?
Generalization:
Only whole noun phrases can be replaced by personal pronouns.
Prof. Gert Webelhuth
Evidence for Syntactic Constituents[.5cm] (Based on Radford (1988), Chapter 2)
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there replaces PPs
(8)
a. SPEAKER A: Have you ever been [ PP to Paris] ?
b. SPEAKER B: No, I have never been [ PP there] .
Prof. Gert Webelhuth
Evidence for Syntactic Constituents[.5cm] (Based on Radford (1988), Chapter 2)
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do so replaces VPs
(9)
Lilly [ VP went home early] .
(10)
a. Sandy [ VP did so] , too.
b. Sandy will [ VP do so] , too.
c. Sandy might [ VP do so] , too.
Prof. Gert Webelhuth
Evidence for Syntactic Constituents[.5cm] (Based on Radford (1988), Chapter 2)
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(11)
a. [ NP Cars] can be useful.
b. [ NP Fast cars] can be useful.
c. [ NP Very fast cars] can be useful.
d. [ NP Those very fast cars] can be useful.
e. Do [ NP very fast cars/cars] turn you on?
(12)
a. I really enjoy [ NP very fast cars/cars] .
b. Im just crazy about [ NP very fast cars/cars] .
Prof. Gert Webelhuth
Evidence for Syntactic Constituents[.5cm] (Based on Radford (1988), Chapter 2)
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