Top Banner
GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred
43

GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Mar 26, 2015

Download

Documents

Caleb Gardner
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Page 1: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS

A Presentation By:

Christina SeeligerCornelia WächterEva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred

Page 2: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

OUTLINE

1.) Introduction and Overview 2.) Deep and Surface Structures3.) Universal Grammar4.) Further Examples5.) Discussion and Conclusion

Page 3: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Question

What do you think the above diagram could mean?

Linguists Curiosity

Page 4: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Major Questions

Why does a two year old learn to speak at an alarming rate while I struggle so hard to learn a second language?

Are some languages easier to learn than others?

Why is Shakespeare’s English so different from ours?

How did all the different accents and dialects of English arise?

Page 5: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Do all languages have something in common or vary in an infinite number of ways?

Is it really possible to translate perfectly from one language to another?

How possible is it to hold a conversation with a computer?

And, And, And…..?

Page 6: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

The attempts to answer the above questions bring about the different concepts, topics and theories found in the Linguistics field today.

Page 7: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS

A broad concept in itself A school of thought within

Linguistics. Makes use of the ´Concept of

Generative Grammar` One great propounder of this

concept is Avram Noam Chomsky

Page 8: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Noam Chomsky

Born December 7,1928, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania

In 1945 he began to study philosophy and linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania

Page 9: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

His book “Syntactic Structures” in 1957 brought together his linguistic ideas

Further information: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky

Page 10: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

GENERATIVE GRAMMAR

Chomsky’s concept of generative grammar implies a finite set of rules that can be applied to generate sentences, at the same time capable of producing infinite number of strings from the set rules.

A type of grammar which describes a language by giving a set of rules that can be used to produce other possiblesentences in that language.

Page 11: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Deep and Surface Structures

Page 12: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Two Levels of Representation

1. Deep Structure (DS): represents syntactic relations (underlying representation)

2. Surface Structure (SS): derived (surface) representation of a Deep Structure

o SS can be derived from DS by transformations like passivization, forming of questions etc.

Page 13: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Example

„I can solve this problem!“ (DS) 1st Pers. Sing. Ind. Pres. Act.

What does the tree structure look like?

Page 14: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.
Page 15: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Possible surface structure (derived by topicalisation):

„This problem, I can solve!“

Page 16: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Possible Problem for Analysis

The categories are not in the correct positions any more. (e.g. „solve“ seems to be intransitive here, though it cannot be)

In SS the categories can appear in positions other than expected from the DS of a sentence!

Page 17: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

When transformational rules are applied to a sentence, not the structure itself changes, but merely the form of representation.

In the tree structure the DS is still shown by the marker of „trace“.

Page 18: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.
Page 19: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Transformational rules map the Deep Structure onto Surface Structure representations.

Page 20: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

What‘s it good for?

Chomsky: „a simple system of phrase structure can provide the basis from which all sentences can be derived by simple transformations“ (Generative Grammar = Transformational Grammar)

Humboldt: Show how language can „make infinite use of finite terms.“

Page 21: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

From Structures to Universal Grammar

Chomsky: „Deep Structures of different languages show considerable similarities.“

This indicates properties common to all languages.

These are concealed by the different Surface Structures.

Page 22: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

3. Universal Grammar

Page 23: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

3.1. The General Concept of UG

„the system of principles, conditions, and rules that are elements or properties of all human languages, … the essence of human language.“(Chomsky, 1976)

Page 24: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

3.1.The General Concept of UG

All human beings share part of their knowledge of language

Speaker knows a set of principles that apply to all languages, parameters that vary within clearly

defined limits from one language to another

UG is an attempt to integrate grammar, mind and language

Page 25: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

3.2 Aims of Linguistics

Summarized by Chomsky:

1. What constitutes language?2. How is such knowledge acquired?3. How is such knowledge put to use?4. What are the physical mechanisms

that serve as the material basis for this system of knowledge and for its use?

Page 26: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

3.3 An Example of a Principle

Structure- dependency

A principle common to all languages Asserts that knowledge of language

relies on the structural relationships in the sentence rather than on the sequence of words

Page 27: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

3.3 An example of a Principle

Example:

The man who is tall is John. Is the man who is tall John? *Is the man who tall is John?

Page 28: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

3.4. Parameters Languages differ!

One way in which they differ is in terms of the words they use

Other differences between languages also have to be acquired

Parameters select among possible variants Comparable to switches

Page 29: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

3.4.Parameters

Example: Word order

Most languages use: Subject Verb Object (SVO): e.g. English Subject Object Verb (SOV): e.g. Turkish Verb Subject Object (VSO): e.g. Irish

A few languages use: Verb Object Subject (VOS): e.g. Malagasy

No (or almost no languages) use: Object Subject Verb (OSV) Object Verb Subject (OVS)

Page 30: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

5. General Ideas About Language

Chomsky distinguishes between: E-language :

aims: to collect samples of data and then describe their property

Constructs a grammar to describe the regularities

I- language: Concerned with what a speaker knows

about language and where this knowledge comes from

Page 31: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

5. General Ideas About Language

„language is a system represented in the mind/brain of a particular individual“(Chomsky, 1988)

Chomsky‘s first goal- to discover what constitutes- is an I-language aim

Page 32: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

5. General Ideas about Language

Chomsky distinguishes between: Competence: speaker‘s/ hearer‘s

knowledge of his language Performance: actual use of language in

concrete situations

UG is part of the competence of all language speakers

Page 33: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Syntax is More than Meaning

Well-formed sentence without meaning:

Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

Syntax as well as meaning deprived of inner logic:

Ideas furiously green colorless sleep.

Page 34: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Syntax is More than Meaning

Page 35: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Jabberwocky (by Lewis Carroll, 1872)

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe;All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!Beware the Jubjub bird, and shunThe frumious Bandersnatch!"

Page 36: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Jabberwocky

Revised version not following English syntax:

“Toves slithy the and brillig ‘twas

wabe the in gimble and gyre did...”

Page 37: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Jabberwocky

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe;All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe.

Grammatical words, e.g.: and, the, … Lexical words (with ‘nonsense’

stems), e.g.: tove, gyre, gimble, wabe, …

Page 38: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Jabberwocky

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe;All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe.

slithy: syntactic position for an adjective (Art Adj N) morph –y, a common marker of a

derivational process deriving adjectives from nouns (cf. slime: slimy, grime: grimy, and so on)

Page 39: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Creating a Grammar

5 rules:

S NP VP NP Det NNP NVP V NPVP V

9 words:

Det: the, four, someN: dogs, cats, slugsV: understood, ate, approached

How many sentences?

Page 40: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Conclusion and Discussion

„the shift of focus from the dubious concept of an E-language to the significant notion of I- language was a crucial step in early generative grammar.“ (Chomsky, 1991)

Chomsky‘s theories like UG aim at exploring the mind rather than the environment.

Page 41: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

The generative approach offers a simple method to analyze and compare highly comlex structures and relations of languages.

Language is more than just (generative) theory

Page 42: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

Literature

Carnie, Andrew (2002): Syntax- A Generative Introduction. Malden, Oxford and Carlton: Blackwell Publishing.

Chomsky, Noam (1957): Syntactic Structures. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter.

Cook, Vivian and Newson, Mark (1996): Chomsky‘s Universal Grammar – An Introduction. Oxford and Cambridge: Blackwell Publishing.

Gardner, Thomas (1973): Hauptströmungen der Modernen Linguistik. Göttingen: Vandenhoek & Ruprecht.

Ouhalla, Jamal (1999): Introducing Transformational Grammar. London: Arnold.

Page 43: GENERATIVE LINGUISTICS A Presentation By: Christina Seeliger Cornelia Wächter Eva Nunnemann Cornadia Ellefred.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky, last visited 07.01.2007, 14.25.