Prof.

Marcelo F Videtta

Grammar I

Part II: Lessons 18-22

Read the lessons before you do the activities.

Lesson 18 Activity 1: Analyse the following sentences integrating the material

discussed in this lesson.

1. He must have been being beaten.

Semantic Analysis

Predicator: beat (two-place verb) (in the passive)

Arguments: (somebody), He

Argument structure of beat: <(1), 2>

-Grid of beat: (agent), patient

Proposition: dynamic. The verb «beat» denotes a process.

Syntactic Representation

Second Functional Layer

Ø He must have been being beaten.

H (C)
[Decl]
[+ Fin] C (TP)
CP

Movement Operation

C Subject T PERF PROG VOICE Lexical C / DO

Verb
Ø He must have been being beaten him

Argument Movement

NB: The subject of the active sentence has been demoted (downgraded/relegated).

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First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

He must have been being beaten.

H (AUX)
H (AUX) Primary AUX C (V)
H (T) Primary AUX Voice AUX MonoTV in
Tensed AUX H (AUX) Asp AUX (Passive) the active
Modal AUX Primary AUX (Progressive) [- Fin] [- Fin]
Spec (PRN) (Degree of Asp AUX [- Fin] Present Passive Past
[Masc] Certainty) (Perfect) Perfect Past Participle Participle
[Sing] [+ Fin] [- Fin] Participle C (VoiceP)
[3rd] [- Past] Infinitive C (ProgP)
[Nom] [EPP] C (PerfP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of beat: V [-- PRN]

2. The plane will have landed by then.

Semantic Analysis

Predicator: land (one-place verb)

Argument: the plane

Argument structure of land: <1>

-Grid of land: theme

Proposition: dynamic. The verb «land» denotes change of position / a transitional

event.

Syntactic Representation

Second Functional Layer

Ø The plane will have landed by then.

H (C)
[Decl]
[+ Fin] C (TP)
CP

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First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

The plane will have landed by then

H (V)
C (N) H (AUX) Ergative
[Neuter] H (T) Primary AUX Verb
[Sing] Tensed AUX Asp AUX [- Fin] H (P) C (ADV)
[Common] Modal AUX (Perfect) Perfect Past Adj / Adv Adj of Time
H (D) [Concrete] (Prediction) [- Fin] Particple (PP)
Def Art [Count] [+ Fin] Infinitive C (VP)
Spec (DP) [- Past]
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] C (AUXP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of land: V [-- ]

Lesson 18 Activity 2: Analyse the following sentences integrating the material

discussed in this lesson.

1. You have ruined my dress!

Semantic Analysis

Predicator: ruin (two-place verb)

Arguments: you, my dress

Argument structure of ruin: <1, 2>

-Grid of ruin: agent, affected object

Proposition: dynamic. The verb «ruin» denotes causative meaning.

Syntactic Representation

Second Functional Layer

Ø You have ruined my dress!

H (C)
[Decl]
[+ Fin] C (TP)
CP

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First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

You have ruined my dress!

H (D) C (N)
H (T) Possessive D [Neuter]
Tensed AUX [Sing] [Sing]
Primary AUX H (V) [Common] [Common]
Spec (PRN) Asp AUX MonoTV [1st] [Concrete]
[Common] (Perfect) [- Fin] [Gen] [Count]
[Sing/Pl] [+ Fin] Perfect Past C / DO (DP)
[2nd] [- Past] Particple [3rd] [Acc]
[Nom] [EPP] C (VP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of ruin: V [-- DP]

2. The astronauts will be sleeping at 4.00 a.m.

Semantic Analysis

Predicator: sleep (one-place verb)

Argument: the astronauts

Argument structure of sleep: <1>

-Grid of sleep: agent

Proposition: dynamic. The verb «sleep» denotes an activity.

Syntactic Representation

Second Functional Layer

Ø The astronauts will be sleeping at 4.00 a.m.

H (C)
[Decl]
[+ Fin] C (TP)
CP

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First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

The astronauts will be sleeping at 4.00 a.m.

H (V)
C (N) H (T) H (AUX) Unergative
[Common] Tensed Primary AUX Verb
[Pl] AUX Asp AUX [- Fin] H (Q) C (PP)
[Common] Modal AUX (Progressive) Present H (P) C / P Comp (QP)
H (D) [Concrete] (Prediction) [- Fin] Particple Adj / Adv Adj of Time (PP)
Def Art [Count] [+ Fin] Infinitive C (VP)
Spec (DP) [- Past]
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] C (AUXP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of sleep: V [-- ]

NB: a.m. stands for ante meridiem (Lat.), so it could be analysed as a PP

functioning as a C to the H.

3. The house is being painted at the moment.

Semantic Analysis

Predicator: paint (two-place verb) (in the passive)

Arguments: (somebody), the house

Argument structure of paint: <(1,) 2>

-Grid of ruin: (agent,) affected object/theme

Proposition: dynamic. The verb «paint» denotes causative meaning.

Syntactic Representation

Second Functional Layer

Ø The house is being painted at the moment.

H (C)
[Decl]
[+ Fin] C (TP)
CP

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Movement Operation

C Subject T AUX Lexical C / DO Adjunct

Verb
Ø The house is being painted the house at the moment

Argument Movement

NB: The subject of the active sentence has been demoted (downgraded/relegated).

First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

The house is being painted at the moment.

H (V) C (N)
MonoTV [Neuter]
H (AUX) in the [Sing]
C (N) H (T) Primary AUX active [Common]
[Neuter] Tensed AUX Voice AUX [- Fin] H (D) [Concrete]
[Sing] Primary AUX (Passive) Passive Def Art [Count]
[Common] Asp AUX [- Fin] Past H (P) C / P Comp (DP)
H (D) [Concrete] (Progressive) Present Particple Adj / Adv Adj of Time (PP)
Def Art [Count] [+ Fin] Participle C (VP)
Spec (DP) [- Past]
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] C (AUXP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of paint: V [-- DP]

AUXILIARIES

Primary Auxiliaries Aspect Perfect HAVE + Perfect Past

Participle
Progressive + Present
Participle
BE
Voice Passive + Passive Past
Participle

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Lesson 20 Activity 2: What type of clauses do the following sentences contain?

1. [Sue asked me (if I had eaten her sandwich).]

a- Complex sentence

b- The sentence contains a main clause and finite nominal subordinate clause.

2. [We will play the match (if it doesn’t rain).]

a- Complex sentence

b- The sentence contains a main clause and a finite adverbial subordinate clause.

3. [That is the sweater (that I like).]

a- Complex sentence

b- The sentence contains a main clause and a finite relative subordinate clause.

4. [I don’t know (where he lives).]

a- Complex sentence

b- The sentence is made up of two clauses: a main clause and a finite nominal

subordinate clause.

5. [The house (where he lives) is very old.]

a- Complex sentence

b- The sentence is made up of two clauses: a main clause and a finite relative

subordinate clause.

6. [I wonder (who will look after the baby<while we are out>).]

a- Complex sentence

b- The sentence is made up of three clauses: a main clause and two subordinate

clauses. The first one is a finite nominal clause and the second is a finite

adverbial clause.

7. [The woman (who will look after the baby) has just arrived.]

a- Complex sentence

a- The sentence is made up of two clauses: a main clause and a finite relative

subordinate clause.

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Lesson 20 Activity 3: What type of clauses do the following sentences contain?

1. [I asked him (why he had said that).]

a- Complex sentence

b- The sentence is made up of two clauses: a main clause and a finite nominal

subordinate clause.

2. [You should stay in bed (until the doctor comes).]

a- Complex sentence

b- The sentence is made up of two clauses: a main clause and a finite adverbial

subordinate clause.

3. [I had been told (to stay).]

a- Complex sentence

b- The sentence is made up of two clauses: a main clause and a non-finite

nominal subordinate clause.

Lesson 20 Activity 1: Analyse the following sentences semantically and syntactically.

Include the representation of the movement operations:

1. Those watches are made in Japan.

Semantic Analysis

Predicator: make (two-place verb) (in the passive)

Arguments: (Japan), those watches

Argument structure of make: <(1), 2>

-Grid of make: (agent/locative), effected object / resultant

Proposition: dynamic. The verb «make» denotes a process.

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Syntactic Representation

Second Functional Layer

Ø Those watches are made in Japan.

H (C)
[Decl]
[+ Fin] C (TP)
CP

Movement Operation

C Subject T Lexical C / DO Adv Comp of Place

Verb
Ø Those watches are made those watches in Japan.

Argument Movement

NB: The subject of the active sentence has been demoted (downgraded/relegated).

First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

Those watches are made in Ø Japan.

H (T)
Tensed C (N)
C (N) AUX H (V) [Fem]
[Neuter] Primary MonoTV in the H (D) [Sing]
[Pl] AUX active Null D [Proper]
[Common] Voice AUX [- Fin] H (P) C / P Comp (DP)
H (D) [Concrete] (Passive) Passive Past
Demonstrative [Count] [+ Fin] Participle C / Adv Comp of Place (PP)
Spec (DP) [- Past]
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] C (VP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of make: V [-- DP]

NB1: The feminine gender is used for political entities as well as for certain

personified inanimate entities, especially ships.

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NB2: Types of proper nouns: personal names; calendar items; geographical names;

name + common noun.

Lesson 21 Exercise 1: Analyse the following sentences fully. Include the

representation of the movement operations:

1. The question will be discussed at a meeting tomorrow.

Semantic Analysis

Predicator: discuss (two-place verb) (in the passive)

Arguments: (somebody,) the question

Argument structure of discuss: <(1,) 2>

-Grid of discuss: (agent,) affected object/theme

Proposition: dynamic. The verb «discuss» denotes causative meaning.

Syntactic Representation

Second Functional Layer

Ø The question will be discussed at a meeting tomorrow.

H (C)
[Decl]
[+ Fin] C (TP)
CP

Movement Operation

C Subject T AUX Lexical C / DO Adjunct Adjunct

Verb
Ø The question will be discussed the question at a moment tomorrow

Argument Movement

NB: The subject of the active sentence has been demoted (downgraded/relegated).

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 Prof. Marcelo F Videtta

First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

The question will be discussed at a moment. tomorrow.

C (N)
H (V) [Neuter]
MonoTV in [Sing]
C (N) H (T) H (AUX) the active H (Q) [Common]
[Neuter] Tensed Primary AUX [- Fin] Indef [Concrete]
[Sing] AUX Voice AUX Passive Art [Count] Adj / Adv
H (D) [Common] Modal AUX (Passive) Past H (P) C / P Comp (QP) Adj of Time
Def [Concrete] (Prediction) [- Fin] Particple Adj / Adv Adj of Time (PP) (ADV)
Art [Count] [+ Fin] Infinitive C (VP)
Spec (DP) [- Past]
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] C (AUXP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of discuss: V [-- DP]

Lesson 22 Exercise 1: Analyse the following sentence semantically and syntactically:

1. Tom believes that Mary stole the money.

Description

This is a complex sentence made up of a main clause and a finite subordinate

clause.

Semantic Analysis of the main clause

Predicator: believe (two-place verb)

Arguments: Tom, that Mary stole the money

Argument structure of believe: <1, 2>

-Grid of believe: experiencer, theme/proposition

Proposition: stative. The verb «believe» is a modality verb expressing cognition.

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Syntactic Representation of the main clause

Second Functional Layer

Ø Tom believes that Mary stole the money.

H (C)
[Decl]
[+ Fin] C (TP)
CP

First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

Ø Tom Ø believes that Mary stole the money.

H (V)
H (T) MonoTV
C (N) Abstract Affix Hopping
[Masc] Tense Affix C / DO
H (D) [Sing] Affix Attachement (CP / Finite Subordinate
Null D [Proper] [+ Fin] [+ Fin] Nominal THAT Clause)
Spec (DP) [- Past]
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] C (VP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of believe: V [-- CP]

Semantic Analysis of the subordinate clause

Predicator: steal (two-place verb)

Arguments: Mary, the money

Argument structure of steal: <1, 2>

-Grid of steal: agent, theme

Proposition: dynamic. The verb «steal» denotes causative meaning.

Syntactic Representation of the subordinate clause

Second Functional Layer

that Mary stole the money.

H (C)
[Decl]
[+ Fin] C (TP)
CP

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First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

Ø Mary Ø stole the money

C (N)
[Neuter]
H (V) [Sing]
H (T) MonoTV [Common]
C (N) Abstract Affix Hopping H (D) [Concrete]
[Fem] Tense Affix Def Art [Uncount]
H (D) [Sing] Affix Attachement C / DO (DP)
Null D [Proper] [+ Fin] [+ Fin] [3rd] [Nom]
Spec (DP) [+ Past]
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] C (VP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of steal: V [-- DP]

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