Principles and Parameters (I)

1
Principles and Parameters (I)

• Rajat Kumar Mohanty
• rkm_at_cse.iitb.ac.in

Department of Computer Science and
Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
2
Outline

• X-bar theory and non-lexical Categories
• X-bar structure of S
• Spec-head Configuration
• VP-internal Subject Hypothesis
• Extended Projection Principle
• Small Clause
• X-bar structure of S
• Q-CP Principle
• Binary Branching and VP-shells

3
Levels of Representation in Universal Grammar
(UG)

• Lexicon

Theta roles
X-bar rules
Constrained by theta criterion
D(eep)-Structure
Move-alpha
S(urface)-Structure
Transformational rules
Constrained by EPP
LF (logical form)
PF (phonetic form)
4
Projection Principle

• Representations at each syntactic level (i.e.,
  LF, DS and SS) are projected from the lexicon, in
  that they observe the subcategorisation
  properties of lexical items.

5
X-bar Theory

• It tells us how words are combined to make
  phrases and sentences.
• It captures the commonality between different
  types of phrases, which PS-rules cannot.

6
X-bar Projection
XP
(Maximal projection)
(Intermediate projection)
X
YP
X
ZP
(Zero projection)
7
X-bar Projection
XP
(X-phrase)
YP
X
(Specifier)
X
ZP
(Head)
(Complement)
8
X-bar Projection
XP
X
YP
(Specifier)
ZP
X
(Adjunct)
(Complement)
ZP
(Head)
X
9
X-bar Projection
NP
N
NP
Johns
PP
N
solution
to the problem
10
X-bar Projection
NP
N
Det
the
PP
N
In the cabinet meeting
PP
N
of the cricket match
discussion
11
C(onstituent)-command

• C-command is a structural relation among the
  terminal and non-terminal nodes in a syntactic
  tree
• ? c-commands ? iff
• the first branching node dominating ? also
  dominates ?
• ? does not dominate ?

A
B
E
C
D
F
G
12
C-command
NP
N
Det
PP
N
the
NP
P
N
PP
of
discussion
NP
Det
P
N
the cricket match
the
of
N
meeting
13
Government

• ? governs ? iff
• ? is a lexical head (or tensed I)
• ? C-commands ?
• No barrier (VP, NP, PP, AP, or tensed IP)
  intervenes between ? and ?

14
X-bar structure of S IP

• I(NFL(ECTION)) as the Head of S

IP
( S)
( Aux)
I
Spec(ifier)
VP
I
NP

Tense /- FINITE F-features PNG, case
15
Spec-Head Agreement

• A head (X) and its specifies (Spec-X) must agree
  in relevant features

IP
I
NP
Case NOM PNG 3sg
VP
I

Case NOM PNG 3sg
16
VP-internal Subject Hypothesis
The external argument of a verb is generated
within the VP.
( S)
IP
I
Spec

VP
I
V
Tense F-features
Spec
V
NP
NP


17
John likes his teacher.
IP
I
Spec
VP
I
V
NP
Tense AGR EPP
V
NP
John
like
his teacher
18
Extended Projection Principle

• There must be a subject in a clause.
• Examples
• John likes his teacher
• (There) is a unicorn in the garden

19
John likes his teacher.
IP
I
NP
Johni
VP
I
V
NP
Tense AGR EPP
V
NP
ti
like
his teacher
Movement rule
20
There is a unicorn in the garden.
IP
I
NP
There
VP
I
V
Spec
Tense AGR EPP
Insertion rule
V
PP
NP
V
in the garden
be
a unicorn
21
IP
John considers Bill to be incompetent
I
NP
I
VP
John
Tense AGR EPP
NP
V
ti
IP
V
I
consider
NP
VP
I
Bill
V
NP
To EPP
AP
V
ti
incompetent
be
22
Small Clause

• John considers Bill to be incompetent
• John considers Bill to incompetent
• John considers Bill be incompetent
• John considers Bill incompetent

Small clause
23
IP
John considers Bill incompetent
I
NP
I
VP
John
NP
V
Tense AGR EPP
ti
AP
V
A
consider
NP
N
A
N
incompetent
Bill
24
X-bar structure of S-bar CP

• C(omp(lementizer)) as the Head of S

( S )
CP
C
Spec
IP
C
( S )

/- Q
25
IP
I think that John should leave
I
NP
I
VP
N
NP
V
N
EPP
CP
V
I
C
think
Spec
ti
IP
C
-Q
John should leave
that
26
IP
I want for John to leave
I
NP
I
VP
N
NP
V
N
EPP
CP
V
I
C
want
Spec
ti
IP
C
-Q
John to leave
for
27
IP
I wonder if John has left
I
NP
I
VP
N
NP
V
N
EPP
CP
V
I
C
wonder
Spec
ti
IP
C
-Q
John has left
if
28
CP
Who did Mary see?
C
Spec
Q-CP Principle
C
IP
Q
A Q-CP must have a specifier
NP
I
NP
did
VP
I
EPP Aux
V
Spec
whoj
Maryi
NP
NPi
V
tj
see
29
Binary Branching and VP-shells

• A node can dominate at most two branches
• John put the book (on the shelf)
• John put (the book) on the shelf
• Put V _ NP PP
• S? V (NP) (PP)

30
v P
VP-Shell
v
spec
v
VP
V
NP
light verb
PP
V
put
Head-to-head movement constraint
V-raising
31
IP
John put the book on the shelf
I
NP
v P
I
N
v
spec
N
Tense AGR EPP
v
VP
John
ti
V
put
NP
PP
V
the book
on the shelf
ti
32
Summary

• Projection Principle Lexical information (such
  as theta roles) is syntactically represented at
  all levels of representation
• X-bar Theory tells us how words are combined to
  make phrases and sentences.
• The head of S is I(NFL(LECTION) and the head of
  S is Comp(lementizer)
• VP-internal Subject Hypothesis The external
  argument of a verb is generated within the VP.
• Extended Projection Principle (EPP) A clause
  must have a subject
• Q-CP Principle A Q-CP must have a
  specifier
• Transformational rules can be
• movement rules
• insertion rules
• Rules must be maximally constrained, otherwise
  they could produce anything (e.g., Head-to-head
  movement constraint, EPP, etc)

33
Sources and further readings

• Comsky, Noam. 1965. Aspects of the Theory of
  Syntax. CUP, Cambridge.
• Comsky, Noam. 1981. Lectures on Government and
  Binding. Foris, Dordrecht.
• Ouhalla, Jamal. 1994. Introducing
  Transformational grammar. Arnold, London.

34
THANK YOU