Syntax III: Mapping Ambiguity

Gareth Price – Duke University

Rules for Lectures in Syntax

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Why analyse Syntax?• It tells us the structure of sentences• It satisfies a curiosity about language in the

same as e.g. Crosswords and, for numbers, Sudoku

• Drawing trees is a great party trick• ... and kills a few hours on the bus.

What does it tell us about the structure of sentences?

Recall:XP = {spec} + X’thenX’ = X + YP / YP + X

(complement = necessary to the operation of the sentence)

or X’ = YP + X’ / X’ + YP

(adjunct = incidental to the operation of the sentence)

New housing project for elderly not yet dead

New housing project for elderly not yet dead

Two meanings:(a) new housing project for (the) elderly (is) not

yet dead (in e.g. the House)(a) new housing project (is) for (the) elderly

(who are) not yet dead

Two meanings:{literal}

Surface structure / Phonetic Form [PF]There is a housing project for the elderly (who are not

yet dead) {contextual}

Deep structure / Logical form [LF]A housing project for the elderly is still viable / being

discussed

• PF• Did you hear that whale?• LF• Did you hear that wail?

• = no such thing as context-free language

NP VP V’ PP N’ P’ AP A’

NP NP N’

N’ Adv.P Adv.’ AP A’ A N N V P N Neg Adv A New housing project is for elderly not yet dead

NP VP V’ PP N’ P’ AP A’

NP NP N’

N’ Adv.P Adv.’ AP A’ A N N P N V Neg Adv A New housing project for elderly is not yet dead

Complaints Against ACC Referees Growing Ugly

Complaints Against ACC Referees [are] Growing Ugly

Complaints [are] Against ACC Referees Growing Ugly

[There are] Complaints Against ACC Referees Growing Ugly

Recall: Case marking

Canis hominem mordet Canem hominis mordet

EMT Team Help Dog Bite Man

I shot the Sheriff with a badge

I shot the Sheriff with a gun

I shot the Sheriff with my boots on

Flowers ate the desks with my boots

Colourless green bottles sleep furiously

Det. Adj. N V Adv. PP Det. N

Det. Adj. N V Adv. P Det. NThe acturous parples thrustle grimulously in the glosselthrop

What does syntax learn us?