The Syntax of the English Simple Sentence

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(e.g.) This detective imitates Poirot. (Two arguments)

We like John. (Two arguments)

He gave the flowers to Mary. (Three arguments)

He bought the book for Mary. (Three arguments)

He is working. (One argument)

The house collapsed. (One argument)

Arguments are divided into external and internal arguments. Internal arguments are subcategorized by the verb (i.e. they are obligatory complements of the verb). External arguments are always the subject(s) of the sentence.

Adjectives and prepositions also have an argument structure. (e.g. [interested in art]AP, [between Mary and John]PP).

The specific semantic relations between a verb and its arguments are referred to in terms of theta roles. The verb theta-marks its arguments by assigning a theta role to each one. Each verb is marked in the Lexicon for a particular number of arguments.

(e.g.) The ball rolled towards him. (two arguments)

roll → [the ball]NP = ; [towards him]PP =

Theta-Criterion - each argument is assigned one and only one theta role, and each theta role is assigned to one and only one argument.

Theta roles

Theta role

Description

Example

Agent/Actor

the initiator of some action

John made a table.

Theme/Patient

entity undergoing the effect of some action

The ball rolled towards him.

Jane crumbled to the floor.

Experiencer

entity experiencing some psychological state

Students hate linguistics.

Benefactive

entity benefiting from some action

John did the job for me.

Goal

entity towards which something moves

He offered the flowers to Jane.

Instrument

means by which something comes about

He opened the door with the key.

Location

place in which something is situated or takes place

He put the book on the shelf.

Source

entity from which something moves

He came from Venice.

Types of movement in the English sentence

Constituents may move in a sentence in one of two directions: to the left (i.e. to the front/beginning of the sentence) or to the right (i.e. to the end of the sentence)

a) Movement to the left.

1. Topicalisation

a) “Flora: Do you like Belgian beer and Belgian wine?”

“Ben: [Belgian beer] I like [ _ ], but [Belgian wine] I hate [ _ ].

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b) [The books about New York that she bought] nobody liked [ _ ].

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2. VP-Preposing.

Ralph says that he will clean his room and [clean his room], he will [ _ ].

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*Ralph says that he will clean his room, and [clean] he will [ _ ] his room.

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Sally said she returned my book, and [return my book] she did [ _ ].

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* Sally said she returned my book, and [returned my book] she [ _ ].

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3. Though Movement

Though students are [fare dodgers]NP, they are not thieves.

[Fare dodgers]NP though students are [ _ ], they are no thieves.

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b. Movement to the right

1. Extraposition from NP

[Six women [with yellow hats [on their head]PP]PP]NP finally appeared.

[Six women [ _ ]PP]NP appeared [with yellow hats on their heads]PP.

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*[Six women [with yellow hats]PP]NP finally appeared [on their head]PP.

*[Six women [[ _ ]PP on their head]PP]NP finally appeared [with yellow hats]PP.

2. Heavy NP Shift

We [brought [the chocolate boxes]NP]VP into the country.

*We brought into the country the chocolate boxes.

We [brought [ _ ]NP]VP into the country [six boxes of excellent French wine]NP.

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Other types of operations in the English simple sentence.

a. Substitution. Use substitution by pro-forms to prove that the italicized strings are constituents.

I believe that God is