Prof.

Marcelo F Videtta

Grammar I

Homework: KEY

Analyse the following adverbial clauses.

1- Although the hall was crowded, they could get good seats.

Description of the sentence

This is a complex sentence made up of two clauses: a main clause and a finite

subordinate clause.

Semantic analysis of the main clause

Predicator: get (two-place verb)

Arguments: they, good seats

Argument structure of get: <1, 2>

-Grid of get: agent, theme

Proposition: dynamic. «get» denotes a process.

Syntactic representation of the main clause

Second Functional Layer

Ø they could get good seats although the hall was crowded.

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

NB: Remember that when the adverbial clause is in initial position, we place it at
the end of the sentence.

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First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

they could get Ø good seats although the hall was crowded

Adj / H (N)
Pre-Mod [Neuter]
H (T) (A) [Pl]
Tensed [Stative] [Common]
AUX [Gradable] [Concrete]
Spec (D) Modal AUX H (V) H (Q) [Inherent] [Count]
[Pl] (Ability) MonoTV Null Q C (NP) Adv Adj of Concession
[Common] [+ Fin] [- Fin] C / DO (QP) (SUBP / Finite Subordinate
[3rd] [+ Past] Infinitive [3rd] [Acc] Adverbial Clause)
[Nom] [EPP] C (VP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of get: V [-- QP]

Semantic analysis of the subordinate clause

Predicator: crowded (one-place adjective)

Argument: the hall

Argument structure of crowded: <1>

-Grid of crowded: theme

Proposition: stative. «crowded» denotes a property of the entity.

Syntactic representation of the subordinate clause

Second Functional Layer

Ø the hall was crowded.

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

NB: Here we leave the subordinator aside and we analyse the rest of the sentences

as a CP.

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First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

The hall [Ø + be] was be crowded.

C (N) H (T)
[Neuter] Abstract Tense H (V)
[Sing] Affix Copulative C / PCs (A)
[Common] + Functional Verb [Stative]
H (D) [Concrete] Verb [- Finite] [Gradable]
Def Art [Count] [+ Finite] Infinitive [Inherent]
Spec (DP) [+ Past]
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] C (VP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of crowded: A [-- ]

NB: GET

a- Lexical GET

I finally got the tickets for the show.

b- Multi-word verb

I am still getting over it. → prepositional verb [verb + prep]

This rain is getting me down.→ transitive phrasal verb [verb + adv part]

I have just got up. → intransitive phrasal verb

I don’t get on with his wife. → phrasal-prepositional verb [verb + adv part +

prep]

c- Copulative verb

I get bored. → Resulting Copula / Inchoative Verb

d- Causative GET

I got my TV repaired.

I got the children to go to bed.

e- Get-passive

He got bitten by a snake.

f- Obligation (BrE)

I’ve got to go right now.

→ I gotta go right now.

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g- Got / Gotten → Past Participle

Register → Got (BrE)

Gotten (AmE) [Got is the past tense of get]

h- Idioms → they violate the principle of compositionality

2- Harry went home after the movie ended.

Description of the sentence

This is a complex sentence made up of two clauses: a main clause and a finite

subordinate clause

Semantic analysis of the main clause

Predicator: go (two-place verb)

Arguments: Harry, home

Argument structure of go: <1, 2>

-Grid of go: theme, locative

Proposition: dynamic. «go» is a verb of directed motion.

Syntactic representation of the main clause

Second Functional Layer

Ø Harry went home after the movie ended.

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

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First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

Ø Harry Ø went home after the movie ended.

H (V)
Unaccusative
Verb
C (N) H (T) Affix Hopping
[Masc] Abstract Affix C / Adv Adv Adj of Time
H (D) [Sing] Tense Affix Attachement Comp of (PP / Finite Subordinate
Null D [Proper] [+ Finite] [+ Fin] Place (ADV) Adverbial Clause)
Spec (DP) [+ Past]
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] C (VP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of go: V [-- ADV]

Semantic analysis of the subordinate clause

Predicator: end (one-place verb)

Argument: the movie

Argument structure of end: <1>

-Grid of end: theme

Proposition: dynamic. «end» denotes the final stage of a process.

Second Functional Layer

Ø the movie ended.

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

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First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

the movie Ø ended

C (N)
[Neuter]
[Sing] H (T) C (V)
[Common] Abstract Unaccusative
H (D) [Concrete] Tense Affix Verb
Def Art [Count] [+ Fin] Affix Hopping
Spec (DP) [+ Past] Affix Attachement
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] [+ Fin]
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of end: V [-- ]

3- Annie gets excited whenever she sees a dog.

Description of the sentence

This is a complex sentence made up of two clauses: a main clause and a finite

subordinate clause.

Semantic analysis of the main clause

Predicator: excited (one-place adjective)

Argument: Annie

Argument structure of excited: <1>

-Grid of excited: theme

Proposition: dynamic. «get» is a resulting copula, which is used to express gradual

change of state.

Copulative verb
Stative BE
Current Copulas seem, look, smell, taste
Dynamic Resulting Copulas become, grow, wear, make

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Syntactic representation of the main clause

Second Functional Layer

Ø Annie gets excited whenever she sees a dog.

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

First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

Ø Annie Ø gets excited whenever she sees a dog.

H (V)
Copulative
Verb
(Resulting
Copula)
C (N) H (T) Affix Hopping C / PCs (A)
[Fem] Abstract Affix [Dynamic] Adv Adj of Time
H (D) [Sing] Tense Affix Attachement [Gradable] (CP / Finite Subordinate
Null D [Proper] [+ Finite] [+ Fin] [Inherent] Adverbial Clause)
Spec (DP) [- Past]
[3rd] [Nom] [EPP] C (VP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of excited: A [-- ]

Semantic analysis of the subordinate clause

Predicator: see (two-place verb)

Arguments: she, a dog

Argument structure of see: <1, 2>

-Grid of see: experiencer, theme or percept

Proposition: stative. «see» is a verb of perception.

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Syntactic representation of the subordinate clause

Movement Operation

Op C Subject T Lexical C / DO Adjunct

Verb
whenever ØREL she Ø sees a dog whenever

Wh-Movement

Second Functional Layer

Ø she sees a dog whenever.

H (C)
[Rel] C (TP)
CP

First Functional Layer and the Semantic Core

she Ø sees a dog whenever.

C (N)
H (V) [Common]
MonoTV [Sing]
H (T) Affix H (Q) [Common]
Spec (D) Abstract Hopping Indef [Concrete]
[Fem] Tense Affix Affix Art [Count] Adv Adj of
[Sing] [+ Fin] Attachement C / DO (QP) Time (ADV)
[3rd] [- Past] [+ Fin] [3rd] [Acc] Rel Adv
[Nom] [EPP] C (VP)
Subject Predicate
TP

Subcategorisation frame of see: V [-- QP]

NB: Adverbial Clauses of Time and Place can be introduced by when / whenever

and where / wherever. In this case they are said to be FREE RELATIVE CLAUSES.

For pedagogical reasons we still stick to the traditional concept of adverbial clause.

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Lesson 36. Act 1: KEY

1) What type of function do noun clauses have?

Noun clauses have nominal function.

2) How many types of noun clauses are there? List them and provide at least

one example of each.

There are five different types of Noun Clauses:

● That Nominal clauses: Susan didn’t tell me that you are married.

● Wh-Interrogative Nominal Clauses: I am not sure who will look after the

puppy.

● Whether Nominal clauses (Alternative Interrogative Nominal Clauses): I don’t

know whether to go to the party or not, I’m tired.

● If Nominal clauses (Yes/No Interrogative Nominal Clauses): I wonder if you

could open the window, sir.

● Exclamative Nominal Clauses: I remember what a good time I had at your

party.

3) What was that called in Traditional Grammar?

In Traditional Grammar that is a subordinating conjunction, which introduces a

clause.

4) What is that called in Generative Grammar?

In Generative Grammar that is a complementiser.

5) In what way do the two analyses differ?

In the case of that in Traditional Grammar, it is a subordinating conjunction whose

only function is to introduce a clause. On the other hand, in the Generative

Grammar, that functions as the head of a complementiser phrase. It marks the

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clause as declarative (i.e. it gives us the illocutionary force) and tell us that the

clause will be finite.

6) Provide an example of a contact noun clause

I think Ø Mary is pregnant.

7) Provide an example of a wh-interrogative noun clause introduced by a wh-

interrogative pronoun.

Who stole her heart is a mystery.

Peter wanted to know who had killed the dog.

8) Provide an example of a wh-interrogative noun clause introduced by a wh-

interrogative determiner.

Peter asked me whose car was parked outside.

9) Provide an example of a wh-interrogative noun clause introduced by a wh-

interrogative adverb.

Peter wanted to know why you stayed at home the whole weekend.

10) What was whether called in Traditional Grammar?

In Traditional Grammar, whether is a subordinating conjunction, with no function

within the clause it introduces.

11) With which elements is whether grouped in Generative Grammar?

In Generative Grammar whether is grouped with wh-words, therefore, it is an

operator. This is not only because of its spelling, but also because of its syntactic

behaviour.

12) How many complementisers are there?

There are six complementisers:

● that, which introduces that noun clauses.

● If, an interrogative complementiser, which introduces If noun clauses.

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● ØINT, an interrogative null complementiser.

● ØEXCL, an exclamative null complementiser.

● ØREL, a relative null complementiser.

● For, which introduces non-finite clauses.

13) What is an operator?

An operator is an element that has the power over a variable. A question such as

«What did you buy» is roughly equivalent to «of all possible x’s that you could have

bought, please tell me what you have actually bought». The x is the variable. In the

semantic representation of a sentence (i.e in the representation of its meaning)

operators always appear at the beginning.

.
14) How many operators have we discussed so far?

We have discussed so far:

● wh-interrogative words

● whether

● whether

● not (negator)

15) Which is more restricted syntactically If or whether? Discuss.

Syntactically, If is more restricted than whether because:

● It cannot introduce a subject clause unless the clause is extraposed (place at

the end).

● It cannot introduce a non-finite clause (or to-infinitive clause).

● It cannot be followed directly by or not.

● It cannot appear as a complement of a preposition.

16) Provide an example of an exclamative clause.

It is incredible how fast she can run.

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