DESCRIPCIÓ I ANÀLISI
1. WHAT IS SYNTAX?
Syntax studies the organization of words into phrases, and likewise the organization of
phrases into sentences.
2. BASIC IDEAS OF SYNTAX
2.1. Phrases, sentences and structure
One of the key properties that makes a string of words a sentence is that the words are
related to one another in particular ways. A sentence is not just an arbitrary list of words.
2.2. Word Order
String of words that form possible sentences of a language are said to be grammatical.
Sentences that are impossible either because the words are in the wrong order with respect
to one another or for some other reason are said to be ungrammatical.
2.3. Lexical Categories
Also called syntactic categories or grammatical categories. It is a group of words that can
function in the same way in a sentence.
2.4. Morphemes
Words and parts of words. A meaningful unit that contains no smaller meaningful units.
Repaint → re-paint → to paint again. / Houses → house-s → more than one.
Classes of morphemes
● Simple words: one morpheme only (clever, from, the, mother)
● Complex words: more than one morpheme (establishment. Kindness, impressive)
● Depending of the pattering:
1. Free morpheme: they are themselves words of the language.
2. Bound morpheme: always occur as part of a word (re, un, ly, ness, ish)
● Affix morphemes: a morpheme that attaches only to a root (=grammatical,
bound).
Prefixes: precede the root.
Suffixes: follow the root.
Types of affixes:
Derivational: affixes form a new word with a lexical meaning.
- Change de meaning = happy/unhappy
- Change de word class =
Inflectional: affixes form a variant of the world they attach to, adding a
grammatical meaning.
2.5. Word formation
1. Compounding: When two free root morphemes are combined to form a single word
they create compound words: Bookstore, hairpin, girlfriend.
- You can also compound affixed words: air-conditioner, watch-maker,
looking-glass.
- And even compound compounded words: aircraft carrier, lifeguard chair.
2. Conversion: There is a change of word class without any change in form.
- Noun to verb: water to water.
, - Verb to noun: to coach a coach.
- Adjective to noun: comic a comic.
- Adjective to verb: empty to empty.
3. Shortening: New items are formed by deleting linguistic material instead of adding it.
- Blending: When two words are combined but only part of each word is used.
Brunch = (Breakfast + lunch).
- Clipping: Ad: advertisement, advert.
- Acronyms vs initialisms:
Acronyms: Taking the initial letters from a multi-word phrase and
pronouncing the initials as a single word. Over time, speakers may
lose awareness of the original expression.
ASAP: as soon as possible.
Initialisms: you pronounce each letter individually.
CD: Compact disc.
3. HOW SENTENCES EXPRESS IDEAS
3.1. Expressing Basic Roles
MAJOR ROLES
ROLE DEFINITION
AGENT person, animal, etc., that does the action
PATIENT thing that the action happens to
INSTRUMENT thing involved in performing the action (but
not the agent)
THEME thing that is in a state or location or
undergoes change
EXPERIENCER animate being (person or animal) that has
some kind of perceptual or mental
experience
SOURCE where a change of possession begins
RECIPIENT individual that comes into possession of
something
The function that something has in a relationship expressed by a sentence is called its role.
4. LEXICAL CATEGORIES
4.1. The Nature of Lexical Categories
We can divide them into two groups:
1. Content words: Those which contribute to the meaning of the sentence in some
substantive way. We also call them lexical categories. They are nouns, verbs,
adjectives and adverbs. New words can be added to them all the time.
1. WHAT IS SYNTAX?
Syntax studies the organization of words into phrases, and likewise the organization of
phrases into sentences.
2. BASIC IDEAS OF SYNTAX
2.1. Phrases, sentences and structure
One of the key properties that makes a string of words a sentence is that the words are
related to one another in particular ways. A sentence is not just an arbitrary list of words.
2.2. Word Order
String of words that form possible sentences of a language are said to be grammatical.
Sentences that are impossible either because the words are in the wrong order with respect
to one another or for some other reason are said to be ungrammatical.
2.3. Lexical Categories
Also called syntactic categories or grammatical categories. It is a group of words that can
function in the same way in a sentence.
2.4. Morphemes
Words and parts of words. A meaningful unit that contains no smaller meaningful units.
Repaint → re-paint → to paint again. / Houses → house-s → more than one.
Classes of morphemes
● Simple words: one morpheme only (clever, from, the, mother)
● Complex words: more than one morpheme (establishment. Kindness, impressive)
● Depending of the pattering:
1. Free morpheme: they are themselves words of the language.
2. Bound morpheme: always occur as part of a word (re, un, ly, ness, ish)
● Affix morphemes: a morpheme that attaches only to a root (=grammatical,
bound).
Prefixes: precede the root.
Suffixes: follow the root.
Types of affixes:
Derivational: affixes form a new word with a lexical meaning.
- Change de meaning = happy/unhappy
- Change de word class =
Inflectional: affixes form a variant of the world they attach to, adding a
grammatical meaning.
2.5. Word formation
1. Compounding: When two free root morphemes are combined to form a single word
they create compound words: Bookstore, hairpin, girlfriend.
- You can also compound affixed words: air-conditioner, watch-maker,
looking-glass.
- And even compound compounded words: aircraft carrier, lifeguard chair.
2. Conversion: There is a change of word class without any change in form.
- Noun to verb: water to water.
, - Verb to noun: to coach a coach.
- Adjective to noun: comic a comic.
- Adjective to verb: empty to empty.
3. Shortening: New items are formed by deleting linguistic material instead of adding it.
- Blending: When two words are combined but only part of each word is used.
Brunch = (Breakfast + lunch).
- Clipping: Ad: advertisement, advert.
- Acronyms vs initialisms:
Acronyms: Taking the initial letters from a multi-word phrase and
pronouncing the initials as a single word. Over time, speakers may
lose awareness of the original expression.
ASAP: as soon as possible.
Initialisms: you pronounce each letter individually.
CD: Compact disc.
3. HOW SENTENCES EXPRESS IDEAS
3.1. Expressing Basic Roles
MAJOR ROLES
ROLE DEFINITION
AGENT person, animal, etc., that does the action
PATIENT thing that the action happens to
INSTRUMENT thing involved in performing the action (but
not the agent)
THEME thing that is in a state or location or
undergoes change
EXPERIENCER animate being (person or animal) that has
some kind of perceptual or mental
experience
SOURCE where a change of possession begins
RECIPIENT individual that comes into possession of
something
The function that something has in a relationship expressed by a sentence is called its role.
4. LEXICAL CATEGORIES
4.1. The Nature of Lexical Categories
We can divide them into two groups:
1. Content words: Those which contribute to the meaning of the sentence in some
substantive way. We also call them lexical categories. They are nouns, verbs,
adjectives and adverbs. New words can be added to them all the time.
