Content introduction chapter parsing in traditional English Sentence analysis chapter the Traditional scheme of sentences parsing in English 1 The Traditional scheme of sentences parsing in English conclusion summary references

2.CHAPTER. The Traditional scheme of sentences parsing in English
2.1 The Traditional scheme of sentences parsing in English
Sentence parsing is done through a number of steps that help students to understand the structure of the sentence and the bonds between its structural and semantic parts as well the functions of different sentence members.In order to represent the structure of the sentence graphically students are required to draw the scheme that will reflect the organisation of the analysed sentence adequately.
The steps to take are the following:
a) identify the main and secondary parts of the sentences;
b) draw the scheme of the sentence;
c) identify the types of relations between sentence parts;
d) speak on the characteristics of the parts of speech and their functions in the sentences.
1. He looked around the room for hidden microphones and cameras, but the place was so simple and modest he couldn’t imagine anyone trying to eavesdrop. /Grisham J. The Chamber. – NY: Dell, 1995. – P. 106/
2. In fact, he knew that he had thirteen days to go, and he accused me of trying to give him medication so he wouldn’t be any trouble when his time came. /Grisham J. The Chamber. – NY: Dell, 1995. – P. 608/
3. At the bottom of the stairway was a door which opened when he turned the knob, and John found himself in a narrow hall that ran the width of the church (Sipherd R. Dance of the Scarecrows. – Reader’s Digest Association: NY, 1996. – P.403)
4.” The message on his answering machine was from a gallery-owner friend in New Haven, who was planning a show of John’s work in December and he hoped that John could make a quick trip to new Haven next Wednesday so that they could discuss the hanging of the paintings (Sipherd R. Dance of the Scarecrows. – Reader’s Digest Association: NY, 1996. – P.396) “⁶
Additional:
Study questions
1. Give the traditional terms for the grammatical categories of words in the following sentence
(e.g. boy = noun):
The boy rubbed the magic lamp and suddenly a genie appeared beside him.
2. What prescriptive rules for the ’proper’ use of English are not obeyed the following sentences?
(a) That's the girl I gave my roller skates to.
(b) He wanted to simply borrow your car for an hour.
3. Most modern attempts to characterize the structure of sentences are based on a particular approach. What is this approach called, and what general principle is adhered to in such an approach?
4. Present a labeled and bracketed analysis of this sentence:
The policeman chased a robber.
5. Given the following English translations of some other Gaelic words, can you translate the sentences which follow: mor ('big'), beag, ('small'), bhuail (' hit '), duine ('man').
(a) Bhuail an gille beag an cu dubh.
(b) Chunnaic an cu an duine mor.
6. A It has been claimed (Palmer, 1983) that English does not have a future tense form of the verb, although it does have many ways of referring to future time. Consider the following sentences and decide what kind of time-reference is involved. Then, consider whether the labels 'past', ’present’ and 'future' are appropriate for describing the verb forms used.
Water will freeze at zero degrees Centigrade.
I'll leave if you want.
If Bucky phones, tell him I am asleep.
I wish I had a million dollars.
Your plane leaves at noon tomorrow.
We 're going to visit Cairo next year.
She said Jim was leaving next week.
Shall we dance?
7. The types of grammatical descriptions we have considered would simply treat the following examples as English sentences and present a description of their form and structural organization. Is this what everyone considers as 'grammar'? Might there be more to say about sentences like these?
I don’t know nothing about that
You wasn't here when he come looking for you
There's hundreds of students in there
Do you wanna go?Are you gonna go?
8. Can you produce a single diagram, following the format of an immediate constituent analysis, which would incorporate all the constituents of the following sentences? What problems have to be resolved in an exercise like this?
A friend borrowed my car in June. They arrived yesterday.
My parents bought two tickets at Christmas. Suzy left.
The study of the constituent structure of the sentence presupposes analysis
of its parts. The established classification of sentence parts reflects their important
property – whether or not they are involved in forming the predicative center of the
sentence. Traditionally the main and the secondary parts have been singled out.
Besides these two types there is one more — elements which are said to stand
outside the sentence structure. The two generally recognized main parts are the
subject and the predicate. The secondary parts include the object, the adverbial
modifier, and the attribute. Other secondary parts are also sometimes mentioned —
the apposition (its relation to the attribute is variously interpreted), the objective
predicative, and occasionally some other parts, too. However, everything is
relative, thus if we approach the problem of sentence parts from the point of view
of the structural-semantic minimum of the sentence, then many objects and some
adverbial modifiers will turn out to be as important and needed as the subject and
the predicate.
e.g. She opened the door. The book is on the table.
2. The main sentence parts: the subject and the predicate, their types
The subject and the predicate have a unique standing in the system of
sentence parts. They form the backbone of the sentence. They are interdependent
and independent of any other sentence member while all other members can be
dependent either on the subject or on the predicate. The subject and the predicate
can form a sentence on their own.
e.g. She smiles. He is running.
The Subject
The subject is one of the two main parts of the sentence. It denotes the thing
whose action or characteristic is expressed by the predicate. It may be expressed by
different parts of speech, the most frequent ones being: a noun in the common
case, a personal pronoun in the nominative case, a demonstrative pronoun, a
substantivised adjective, a numeral, an infinitive, and a gerund. It may also be
expressed by a phrase.
“The subject performs two main functions: categorial and relative. The
categorial function of the subject consists in naming the possessor of the
predicative feature expressed by the predicate. The relative function of the subject
consists in its being the original element in the syntagmatic development of the
sentence, thus constituting the predicate’s left environment as opposed to its right
environment.”⁷
As it has already been mentioned, the subject always goes with the
predicate, therefore, one-member nominal sentences do not have a subject.
The Predicate
The predicate denotes the action or property of the thing expressed by the
subject. It can be expressed by numerous ways. The predicate expresses the
predicative feature which characterized the object expressed by the subject, thus it
realizes the categorial function. Being a link between the subject and the right
environment of the verb, it performs the relative function.
According to morphological characteristics, four types of predicates can be
singled out:
- verbal;
- nominal;
- phraseological;
- contaminated.
The predicate can be subject to the syntactic process of complication, thus,
according to their structural characteristics, predicates can be simple and
complicated. Therefore, eight types of predicates can be identified.
Simple verbal I took an apple.
Simple nominal The coincidence was extraordinary.
Simple phraseological He gave me a smile.
Simple contaminated He sat motionless.
Complicated verbal The girl began to cry.
Complicated nominal He turned out to be a thief.
Complicated phraseological You should have taken a look at the map.
Complicated contaminated He seemed to be lying asleep.
(Mind that Prof. Ilyish’s idea of simple and compound nominal predicate is
different from the traditional view. NB what he calls double predicate - Catherine's
blood ran cold with the horrid suggestions which naturally sprang from these
+words.