Syntactic relations

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

  • HEAD is the nucleus or the source of the whole syntactic structure, which is actually derived (or projected) out of it. In the UNLarium framework, there are 8 possible heads:
    • N = nouns and nominals
    • J = adjectives and adjectivals
    • V = full verbs and verbals
    • A = adverbs and adverbials
    • P = adpositions (prepositions, postpositions, circumpositions)
    • I = auxiliary verbs
    • D = determiners
    • C = complementizers (conjunctions)
  • 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;
  • XB (intermediate projection) is any of the intermediate structures projected out of the head; and
  • XP (maximal projection) is the most comprehensive structure projected out of the head.

These general roles are further specified according to the eight possible syntactic heads as follows:

Examples

  • complement of the head of an adverbial phrase (AC): contrarily [to popular belief]
  • specifier of the head of an adverbial phrase (AS): [nearly] always
  • complement of the head of a complementizer phrase (CC): if [John comes]
  • specifier of the head of a complementizer phrase (CS): [even] if
  • specifier of the head of a determiner phrase(DS): [almost] every
  • complement of the head of an inflectional phrase (IC): will [kiss Peter]
  • specifier of the head of an inflectional phrase (IS): [Mary] will (kiss Peter)
  • adjunct to the head of an adjective phrase (JA): beautiful [to see]
  • complement of the head of an adjective phrase (JC): loyal [to the queen]
  • specifier of the head of an adjective phrase(JS): [very] loyal
  • adjunct to the head of a nominal phrase (NA): [beautiful] table
  • complement of the head of a nominal phrase (NC): construction [of Babel]
  • specifier of the head of a nominal phrase (NS): [the] construction
  • complement of the head of a prepositional phrase (PC): under [the table]
  • specifier of the head of a prepositional phrase (PS): [right] under
  • adjunct to the head of a verbal phrase (VA): loved [desperately]
  • complement of the head of a verbal phrase (VC): loved [Mary]
  • specifier of the head of a verbal phrase (VS): [never] loved

Further information

For further information on the syntax approach of the UNLarium refer to X-bar.

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