The Y-model (representational version) Chomsky

The Y-model

• The Y-model represents the syntactic derivation as a
• bottom-up unidirectional process
• that at a certain point (at S-structure) splits into two parallel processes:
• the transferences to the interpretative systems (S-M and C-I systems)

The Y-model 1st step

• Lexicon
• It is a specialised part of the sematnic memory that stores some concepts along with their corresponding grammatical features
• The syntactic derivation starts in the lexicon

The Y-model 2nd step

• Lexical insertion
• Operation that takes place in order to go from the lexicón to the first syntactic level of representation (the D(eep)-structure).
• this operation takes lexical ítems from the lexicón as input and inserts them at the D-structure following the principles that compose the X-bar Theory.

The Y-model 3rd step

• Theta Theory
• Once the phrases are built according to the X-bar Theory, the Theta Theory applies, by means of which the thematic relations:
• agent
• theme
• goal
• benefacive...
• are established between the event and each of its arguments.

The Y-model 3rd step

• D(eep)-structure
• It is then that the semantic relations are relevant at D-structure by virtue of the Theta Theory.

The Y-model 4th step

• Move-α
• the syntactic derivation moves on toe the next linguistic representation, the S-structure, by applying the operation
• Move-α
• It moves a constituent from its original place to another new, and leaves a trace in the original place.
• This trace is coindexed with the displaced constituent, so that the latter can be interpreted in both places.

The Y-model 4th step

• It is the formal requirements that are relevant at S-structure by virtue of some other modules that conform the grammar and hold at this level:
• 1- Case Theory: accounts for the licensing of nominal items with phonological realization
• 2- Binding Theory: accounts for the referential & anaphoric interpretation of nominal items
• 3- Control Theory: accounts for the interpretation of the pronominal anaphor PRO, the only nominal item that escapes Binding Theory
• 4- Bounding Theory: accounts for the constraints applying to the operation of Move-α

The Y-model 5th step

• Split
• From the S-structure on, the syntactic derivation splits up into 2 different levels of representation:
• - The phonological form (PF)
• - The logical form (LF)

The Y-model 5th step

• THE PHONOLOGICAL FORM (PF)
• This level of representation is legible by the sensory-motor systems (S-M) - vocal track - so that the S-structure can be transferred to it and converted into speech sounds.

The Y-model 5th step

• THE LOGICAL FORM (LG)
• The derivation moves on from the S-structure to the LF by applying Move-α again.
• Since the LF is independent from the PF, the effects of Move-α are not visible (audible).
• Hence, it is usually referred to as covert movement.
• LF: a linguistic representation legible by the interpretative system (C-I) so that it can be transferred to it, and is semantically interpreted.