TOPIC 12 SYNTAX

T12. 1.1 SYNTAX

2. ELEMENTARY COMMUNICATIVE STRUCTURES

SYNTAX

DEF: the study of lg rules to combine to form sentences

IS DESCRIPTIVE (how lg is used and come up with rules)

SENTENCE: the meaningful unit of lg

HYERARCHY OF ELEMENTS: sentences-clauses-phrases-words-morphemes

RULES SENTENCE

SUBJECT AND PREDICATE

OTHER ELEMENTS: subjects, verbs, complement, object and adverbial

SENTENCE TYPE

SIMPLE SENTENCE: a subject and a predicate

COMPOUND SENTENCE: at least two independent clauses

COORDINATION: no dependent relationship between clauses

SUBORDINATION: independent clause and at leas one dependent clause

2. ELEMENTARY COMMUNICATIVE STRUCTURES

FORMAL CLASSIFICATION OF SENTENCES ( based on grammar rules)

DECLARATIVES: She bought a car (SU+VERB)

INTERROGATIVES: question with operator in front of the subject

IMPERATIVES: Pass the ball (NO OVERT SUBJECT)

EXCLAMATIVES: WHAT/HOW+SUBJ+VERB

STATEMENTS: to convey information (IT´S RAINING)

SEMANTIC CLASSIFICATION OF SENTENCES ( semantic value)

QUESTIONS: to seek information (WHAT´S THE WEATHER?)

DIRECTIVES: to instruct somebody to do something (COME HERE)

EXCLAMATIVES: to express feelings, perceptions...(HOW SCARY!)

PRAGMATIC CLASSIFICATION (the influence of the context)

EXTRALINGUISTIC FACTORS (social, environment and psychological) to use and understand language (I WILL SEE YOU TOMORROW: promise, threat, warning...)