Reference no: EM131927813

Instructions: Please write your answers in the space provided. You may do so either by using a pdf annotation function to type directly onto the pdf, or you may print the pdf, write your answers on the paper version, and subsequently scan and convert to pdf. And please don't forget to include your name and SID, above!

1. Consider the language English Prime, which has the same lexicon and morphology as English, but which has somewhat different phrase structure rules, given here.
(1) a. S → NP VP
b. NP → (Det) N'
c. N' → N' (AdjP) (PP)
d. N' → N
e. PP → P'
f. P' → NP P
g. VP → V' (Aux)
h. V' → V' (PP)
i. V' → (NP) V

How would you translate the following English sentences into English Prime?

i. The sloth will rest.

ii. The sloth ate the leaves.

iii. The sloth hung from the branch.

iv. The happy sloth will see the grumpy jaguarundi on Tuesday.

2. Answer the following questions.

a. The object of a verb (e.g. the ocelot in the sentence I saw the ocelot) is: (circle all that apply)

i. an NP

ii. a sister to V'

iii. a sister to V

iv. a complement of V

b. Consider two PPs that can permute freely with respect to their associated verb, as in the following case:

(2) a. The margay sleeps in the shade by the creek.

b. The margay sleeps by the creek in the shade.

In such a case, we can conclude that: (circle all that apply)

i. Both PPs are adjuncts

ii. in the shade is a complement, and by the creek is an adjunct

iii. Both PPs are sisters to V'

iv. in the shade is a sister to V, and by the creek is a sister to V'

c. Consider two PPs that cannot permute freely with respect to their associated verb, as in the following case (your grammaticality judgments may differ, but assume the given judgments for this question):

(3) a. The squirrel monkey fell on the ground in the afternoon.

b. *The squirrel monkey fell in the afternoon on the ground.

In such a case, we can conclude that: (circle all that apply)

i. Both PPs are adjuncts

ii. on the ground is a complement, and in the afternoon is an adjunct

iii. Both PPs are sisters to V'

iv. on the ground is a sister to V, and in the afternoon is a sister to V'

d. Specifiers of an XP: (circle all that apply)

i. are sisters to X

ii. are sisters to X'

iii. are iterable

iv. are not iterable

3. For each of the following four sentences, identify all the constituents in each sentence and provide syntactic trees for them.

In the appropriate space given for each sentence, please provide demonstrations that every XP and X' constituent that you posit in your trees is in fact a constituent (with the exceptions given below).

These demonstrations should consist of the evidence of the successful application of one of the syntactic constituency tests that we have covered in class.

You may use different tests for different constituents, as you find convenient. Note that you do not need to provide evidence of constituency for X0 (i.e. N, V, P, Adj, Det, or Aux) constituents, or for S, AdjP, Adj', or P' constituents.

To make sure that aspects of your trees are correct, you may also wish to apply permutation tests to determine whether a given constituent is a sister of XP or of X', but you are not required to provide these permutation tests.

In the appropriate space for each sentence, provide the tree supported by your constituency tests. Note that in order for your tree to be graded, you must place it in the space given. If you say something to the effect of "see next page" and place the tree on another page, it will not be graded.

a. The margay will see a marmoset.

i. Constituency tests

ii. Syntactic tree

b. That grumpy little jaguarundi bit me.

i. Constituency tests

ii. Syntactic tree

c. Agnes visited the president of Albania after lunch.

i. Constituency tests

ii. Syntactic tree

d. The ocelot near the tree growled.

i. Constituency tests

ii. Syntactic tree