Abstract
In this and the following two chapters, the grammar component of syntax is described. Section 16.1 analyzes the structural border between the grammar components of morphology and syntax. Section 16.2 discusses the role of valency in the syntactic-semantic composition of natural languages. Section 16.3 explains the notions of agreement and the canceling of valency positions by compatible valency fillers. Section 16.4 demonstrates the handling of free word order with an LA-grammar for a small fragment of German. Section 16.5 demonstrates the handling of fixed word order with an LA-grammar for a corresponding fragment of English.
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References
This is in contrast to the nativist variant of `generative semantics,’ which used transformations to derive word form surfaces from syntactic deep structures, e.g., persuade from cause to come about to intend (G. Lakoff 1972, p. 600).
This phrase is commented on in G. Wahrig’s dictionary as `Adj.; nur noch in der Wendung… das ist so üblich [mhd. gäbe „ annehmbar“; zu geben]”.
For an overview of morphological language typology see the outstanding paper by Greenberg 1954.
This format corresponds to the derivation structure (iii) in 10.3.1 as well as the automatic parsing analyses 10.3.2, 10.4.1, 10.5.3, 10.5.4, and 10.5.5. The equivalent format of LA-trees growing upward from the terminal string, illustrated in 10.5.2 and 16.2.1, on the other hand, has served so far only for the comparison with corresponding constituent structures, and is of no further use.
In LA-D1,the categorial pattern of the valency carrier is (x np’ y V). The valency position to be canceled is decided by the fillers: their case marking, e.g., der Mann, dem Mann, den Mann, determine more or less unambiguously which of the available valency positions in the carrier they agree with — and which they may thus cancel.
For a complete description of the agreement restrictions of English see the variable definition of LA-E2 in 17.4.1.
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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Hausser, R. (2001). Basic concepts of syntax. In: Foundations of Computational Linguistics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04337-0_17
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04337-0_17
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