Minggu, 27 April 2014
Phrase-structure
rules Some important linguist argue that the structure
of a word and the structure of a sentence are akin. Therefore they apply rules
which are used in sentence syntax to word syntax or the structure of words. They
are used to break down a sentence into its constituent parts.
1.
Noun Phrase
A noun phrase
(abbreviated NP) is a phrase which has a noun as its head word, or which performs the same
grammatical function as such a phrase.
Noun phrases often
function as subjects and objects, as predicative expressions, and as the
complements of prepositions or postpositions. Noun phrases can
be embedded inside each other; for instance, the noun phrase some of his constituents contains the
shorter noun phrase his constituents.
A → B + C
Some further examples
for English are as follows:
NP → | N | or |
V | or | A | or | P | + N
Noun phrase (NP)
·
John N
·
the boy Det N
·
a little boy Det
Adj N
·
a boy in a bubble Det
N PP
Phrase structure rule for NPs:
NP → (Det) (Adj) N (PP)
(where ‘()’ indicates
optionality)
2.
Verb
Phrase
A verb phrase
or VP is a unit composed of at least one verb and the dependents of that
verb – objects, complements and other modifiers, but not
including the subject. Thus in the sentence A fat man put
the jewels quickly in the box, the words put the jewels quickly in the
box may be considered a verb phrase – this consists of the verb put
and its dependents, but not its subject a fat man. A verb phrase is
therefore similar to what is considered a predicate in some contexts.
Verb phrases may be
either finite (based on a finite verb) or non-finite (based on a non-finite
verb, such as an infinitive, participle or gerund). While phrase structure grammars acknowledge both
types of VP, dependency grammars reject the existence of a
finite VP constituent (unlike the former, they regard
the subject as being among the verb's dependents). In this regard, the
understanding of verb phrases can be dependent on which theory is being
considered.
·
Sang V
·
ate the cake V NP
·
ate the cake hungrily V NP Adv
·
sang a song in the shower V NP PP
·
fell into the pond
slowly V PP Adv
Phrase structure rule for VPs:
VP V (NP) (PP) (Adv)
(where ‘()’ indicates optionality)
3.
Prepositional
Phrase
At the minimum, a
prepositional phrase will begin with a preposition and end with a
noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause, the
"object" of the preposition.
The object of the
preposition will often have one or more modifiers to describe it.
These are the patterns for a prepositional phrase:
preposition + noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause
preposition + modifier(s) + noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause
Here are some examples of the most basic
prepositional phrase:
At home →At
= preposition; home = noun.
In time →In
= preposition; time = noun.
With me →With
= preposition; me = pronoun.
About what we need →About = preposition; what we need
= noun clause.
4.
Adjective
Phrase
An adjective phrase (or adjectival
phrase) is a phrase
the head word of which is an adjective, e.g., very happy, quite
upset about it. The dependents of the head adjective the other words and
phrases inside the adjective phrase - are typically adverbs or prepositional
phrases, but they can also be clauses
(e.g. louder than you do). Adjectives and adjective phrases function in
two basic ways in clauses,
either attributively or predicatively. When they are
attributive, they appear inside a noun phrase and modify that noun phrase, and
when they are predicative, they appear outside of the noun phrase that they
modify and typically follow a linking verb. Example :
a. Sentences
can contain tremendously long phrases. - Attributive adjective
phrase
b. This
sentence is not tremendously long. - Predicative adjective phrase
a. A player faster
than you was on their team. - Attributive adjective phrase
b. He is faster
than you. - Predicative adjective phrase
5.
Adverb Phrase
Adverb is a word which gives an
additional detail about the meaning of a verb or an adjective
or another adverb.
In many sentences, an adverb may
be a phrase as in the following sentences. Just as the work of an adjective is
done by ‘a group of words’ called Adjective-phrase, so the work of an adverb
can be done by ‘a group of words’ which is called ‘ADVERB-PHRASE’.
Examples:
• Clinton ran quickly.
In this sentence, the adverb ‘quickly’ gives another detail about the verb ‘ran’.
• Clinton ran with great speed.
In this sentence, the same meaning has been conveyed by using ‘a group of words’-‘with great speed’.
• Clinton ran quickly.
In this sentence, the adverb ‘quickly’ gives another detail about the verb ‘ran’.
• Clinton ran with great speed.
In this sentence, the same meaning has been conveyed by using ‘a group of words’-‘with great speed’.
CONCLUSION
The
first rule reads: An S (sentence) consists of an
NP (noun phrase) followed by a VP (verb phrase).
The second rule reads: A noun phrase consists of a Det (determiner) followed by
an N (noun). Some further categories are listed here: AP (adjective phrase),
AdvP (adverb phrase),
PP (prepositional phrase).
Applying the phrase structure rules in a neutral manner, it is possible to
generate many proper sentences of English.
