Generative Grammar: Core Concepts and Syntactic Theories
Unit 1: Introduction to Generative Grammar
Basic Syntactic Notions
Constituency & Hierarchical Structure: Sentences consist of smaller units (constituents) forming hierarchical structures, represented through tree diagrams or bracketing. Constituents are groups of words that function as a single unit.
Phrase Structure Rules (PSRs): Define how words form phrases and sentences.
NP → (D) (AdjP+) N (PP+)
VP → (AdvP+) V (NP) ({NP/CP}) (AdvP+) (PP+)
TP → {NP/CP} (T) VP
Constituency Tests:
- Replacement:
Symbolism and Darkness in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
Themes and Symbolism in Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a deeply contemplative, symbolic piece of literature. Superficially, the story follows the journey of a man named Marlow, working for an ivory company and seeking adventure, deep into sub-Saharan Africa. On a deeper level, however, the story explores the titular “darkness,” revealing it represents the evil residing in the hearts of men.
Kurtz’s Final Moments and Enigmatic Words
Both Kurtz and Marlow experience a brief interlude,
Read MoreLinguistic Terms: Auxiliary Verbs, Syntax, and Speech Perception
Chapter 6: Auxiliary Verbs and Syntax
Auxiliary Verbs: Often informally known as “helping verbs,” a category of words that accompany a main verb. Includes was, is, can, should, does, and did.
Compositionality: The concept that there are fixed rules for combining units of language in terms of their form that result in fixed meaning relationships between the words that are joined together.
Constituent: A syntactic category consisting of a word or (more often) a group of words (e.g., noun phrase,
Read MoreTextual Cohesion, Coherence, and Adequacy Analysis
Textual Analysis: Cohesion, Coherence, and Adequacy
Main Ideas
- Subsections
- Structure: Divide the text into cores (linear, convergent, divergent, concentric, chaotic) (deductive, inductive, circular).
- Issue: Abstract, without verbs.
- Summary: No descriptions and examples without changing the subject.
Cohesion
Cohesion involves the repetition of words, synonyms, antonyms, ellipsis (when a sentence is missing the subject or the verb), and connectors (conjunctions, adverbs, conjunctive or adverbial phrases,
Read MoreJorge Guillén and Pedro Salinas: Poems Analysis
Jorge Guillén – Beyond
Topic: The author, still half asleep, is surprised by the arrival of the morning, a sunny morning in which light is increasing. It is the desire to live and the rationale of its existence, the importance of being. The author expresses the importance of being discovered at dawn that day.
Questions
1. Summarize in 4 lines, the meaning of the text:
He wakes up from a dream and realizes. As he wakes up, he notices his amazement at everything he sees, but always with a sense of optimism.
Read MoreBeowulf: Old English Epic of Heroism and Dragons
Beowulf: An Ancient Epic
Beowulf, the oldest of the great long poems written in English, was likely composed more than twelve hundred years ago, in the first half of the eighth century. It is an epic of more than three thousand lines. This poem deals with the adventurous exploits of Beowulf, who kills three dragons and is ultimately killed. The scenes and people are Scandinavian, and the poem is full of descriptive passages. The English ideal of courage and nobility is introduced. The poem discusses
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