Syntactic relations

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'''Syntactic roles''' are the roles that constituents play inside a syntactic structure. The UNL<sup>arium</sup> framework follows the [[Syntax|X-bar approach]] and proposes six main syntactic roles:
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'''Syntactic roles''' are the roles that constituents play inside a syntactic structure. The UNL<sup>arium</sup> framework follows the [[Syntax|X-bar approach]] and proposes four syntactic roles:
  
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*'''HEAD''' is the nucleus or the source of the whole syntactic structure, which is actually derived (or projected) out of it. In the UNL<sup>arium</sup> framework, there are 8 possible heads:
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*'''HEAD''' is the nucleus or the source of the whole syntactic structure, which is actually derived (or projected) out of it.
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**'''N''' = nouns and nominals
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**'''J''' = adjectives and adjectivals
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**'''V''' = full verbs and verbals
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**'''A''' = adverbs and adverbials
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**'''P''' = adpositions (prepositions, postpositions, circumpositions)
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**'''I''' = auxiliary verbs
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**'''D''' = determiners
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**'''C''' = complementizers (conjunctions)
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*'''COMP''' (i.e., complement) is an internal argument, i.e., a word, phrase or clause which is necessary to the head to complete its meaning (e.g., objects of transitive verbs);
 
*'''COMP''' (i.e., complement) is an internal argument, i.e., a word, phrase or clause which is necessary to the head to complete its meaning (e.g., objects of transitive verbs);
 
*'''ADJT''' (i.e., adjunct) is a word, phrase or clause which modifies the head but which is not syntactically required by it (adjuncts are expected to be extranuclear, i.e., removing an adjunct would leave a grammatically well-formed sentence);
 
*'''ADJT''' (i.e., adjunct) is a word, phrase or clause which modifies the head but which is not syntactically required by it (adjuncts are expected to be extranuclear, i.e., removing an adjunct would leave a grammatically well-formed sentence);
 
*'''SPEC''' (i.e., specifier) is an external argument, i.e., a word, phrase or clause which qualifies (determines) the head;
 
*'''SPEC''' (i.e., specifier) is an external argument, i.e., a word, phrase or clause which qualifies (determines) the head;
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*'''XB''' (intermediate projection) is any of the intermediate structures projected out of the head; and
 
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*'''XP''' (maximal projection) is the most comprehensive structure projected out of the head.
 
  
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These general roles are further specified according to the eight possible syntactic heads as follows:
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== Examples ==
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Consider, for instance, the examples below:
  
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{{#tree:id=SYN|openlevels=0|root=Syntactic roles (SYN)|
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;1. Verbal phrase:  
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*adjunct (XA)
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<quote>Peter gave a new book to Mary yesterday.</quote>
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**adjunct to the head of an adjective phrase (JA)
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:*"gave" is the HEAD (nucleus) of the verbal phrase "Peter gave a new book to Mary yesterday".
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**adjunct to the head of an adverbial phrase (AA)
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:*"a new book" and "to Mary" are COMP (complements) of "gave"
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**adjunct to the head of a complementizer phrase (CA)
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:*"yesterday" is an ADJT (adjunct) of "gave"
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**adjunct to the head of a determiner phrase (DA)
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:*"Peter" is the SPEC (specifier) of "gave"
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**adjunct to the head of an inflectional phrase (IA)
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**adjunct to the head of a nominal phrase (NA)
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**adjunct to the head of a prepositional phrase (PA)
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**adjunct to the head of a verbal phrase (VA)
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*complement (XC)
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**complement of the head of an adjective phrase (JC)
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**complement of the head of an adverbial phrase (AC)
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**complement of the head of a complementizer phrase (CC)
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**complement of the head of a determiner phrase (DC)
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**complement of the head of an inflectional phrase (IC)
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**complement of the head of a nominal phrase (NC)
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**complement of the head of a prepositional phrase (PC)
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**complement of the head of a verbal phrase (VC)
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*head (XH)
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**head of an adverbial phrase (AH)
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**head of an adjective phrase (JH)
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**head of a complementizer phrase (CH)
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**head of a determiner phrase (DH)
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**head of an inflectional phrase (IH)
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**head of a nominal phrase (NH)
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**head of a prepositional phrase (PH)
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**head of a verbal phrase (VH)
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*specifier (XS)
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**specifier of the head of an adjective phrase(JS)
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**specifier of the head of an adverbial phrase (AS)
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**specifier of the head of a complementizer phrase (CS)
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**specifier of the head of a determiner phrase(DS)
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**specifier of the head of an inflectional phrase (IS)
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**specifier of the head of a nominal phrase (NS)
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**specifier of the head of a prepositional phrase (PS)
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**specifier of the head of a verbal phrase (VS)
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*maximal projection (XP)
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**adjective phrase (JP)
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**adverbial phrase (AP)
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**complementizer phrase (CP)
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**determiner phrase (DP)
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**inflectional phrase (IP)
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**nominal phrase (NP)
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**prepositional phrase (PP)
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**verbal phrase (VP)
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*intermediate projection (XB)
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**adverbial phrase (AB)
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**adjective phrase (JB)
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**complementizer phrase (CB)
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**determiner phrase (DB)
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**inflectional phrase (IB)
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**nominal phrase (NB)
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**prepositional phrase (PB)
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**verbal phrase (VB)
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*trace (TRACE)
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}}
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= Examples =
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*complement of the head of an adverbial phrase (AC): contrarily [to popular belief]
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*specifier of the head of an adverbial phrase (AS): [nearly] always
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*complement of the head of a complementizer phrase (CC): if [John comes]
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*specifier of the head of a complementizer phrase (CS): [even] if
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*specifier of the head of a determiner phrase(DS): [almost] every
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*complement of the head of an inflectional phrase (IC): will [kiss Peter]
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*specifier of the head of an inflectional phrase (IS): [Mary] will (kiss Peter)
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*adjunct to the head of an adjective phrase (JA): beautiful [to see]
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*complement of the head of an adjective phrase (JC): loyal [to the queen]
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*specifier of the head of an adjective phrase(JS): [very] loyal
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*adjunct to the head of a nominal phrase (NA): [beautiful] table
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*complement of the head of a nominal phrase (NC): construction [of Babel]
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*specifier of the head of a nominal phrase (NS): [the] construction
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*complement of the head of a prepositional phrase (PC): under [the table]
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*specifier of the head of a prepositional phrase (PS): [right] under
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*adjunct to the head of a verbal phrase (VA): loved [desperately]
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*complement of the head of a verbal phrase (VC): loved [Mary]
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*specifier of the head of a verbal phrase (VS): [never] loved
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= Further information =
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For further information on the syntax approach of the UNL<sup>arium</sup> refer to [[Syntax]].
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Revision as of 19:31, 13 August 2013

Syntactic roles are the roles that constituents play inside a syntactic structure. The UNLarium framework follows the X-bar approach and proposes four syntactic roles:

  • HEAD is the nucleus or the source of the whole syntactic structure, which is actually derived (or projected) out of it.
  • COMP (i.e., complement) is an internal argument, i.e., a word, phrase or clause which is necessary to the head to complete its meaning (e.g., objects of transitive verbs);
  • ADJT (i.e., adjunct) is a word, phrase or clause which modifies the head but which is not syntactically required by it (adjuncts are expected to be extranuclear, i.e., removing an adjunct would leave a grammatically well-formed sentence);
  • SPEC (i.e., specifier) is an external argument, i.e., a word, phrase or clause which qualifies (determines) the head;

Examples

Consider, for instance, the examples below:

1. Verbal phrase

<quote>Peter gave a new book to Mary yesterday.</quote>

  • "gave" is the HEAD (nucleus) of the verbal phrase "Peter gave a new book to Mary yesterday".
  • "a new book" and "to Mary" are COMP (complements) of "gave"
  • "yesterday" is an ADJT (adjunct) of "gave"
  • "Peter" is the SPEC (specifier) of "gave"
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