1. Surface Structure and Deep Structure.
The terms deep structure and surface structure were introduced by Noam Chomsky as a part of his work
on TG Grammar or transformational grammar. As per Chomsky deep structure refers to concepts,
thoughts, ideas & feelings whereas surface structure refers to the words or language we use to represent
the deep structure.
Deep structure is what we wish to express and surface structure how we express it in with the help of
words and sentence.
In the theory of TG Grammar or transformational grammar, sentences have two ways they can be
represented: deep and surface structure. Deep structure refers to the underlying meaning of a sentence
as it is represented and understood in the brain. Surface structure, which is the actual written or spoken
form of the sentence. Surface structures are the versions of sentences that are seen or heard, it refers to
the sentence as it is.
For example, in these two sentences:
a) Charlie broke the window.
b) The window was broken by Charlie.
We can see that the both of them are different in the surface structure but they are also related with each
other in the meaning or the underlying structure which is (the window is broke).
For the sentence (a) it is in the active voice and it consider as a deep structure.
And for the sentence (b) it is in the passive voice and consider as a surface structure.
Consider these sentences:
(1) You close the door.
(2) The door is closed by you.
(3) Close the door!
The first sentence is active, second is passive, and the last is imperative. However, if we take a look those
closely, we will find that those three are very closely related. They seem to be identical, since they have
the same underlying abstract representation that is called deep structure. If we want to analyze the
relation of those three sentences, the first we have to know about the deep structure of them, since deep
structure is the input of transformation rules. We cannot apply transformation rules if we don’t
have deep structure. transformation rules are sets of rules which will change or move elements in the
structures originate from the phrase structure rules.
For Example,
The DS (deep structure)
2. From the above example, it can be decided that deep structure then is a pure representation of thematic
relations. Anything which is interpreted as the subject or object of a given predicate will be in the subject
or object position of that predicate at Deep structure no matter where it is found at Surface structure.
(2)
SD (structure description):
SC (Structural change):
SS (Surface structure):
1 2 3 4
3 4 + be verb + 2 + en 1
The door is closed by you
Note: the SC is passive transformation rules
(3) SD:
SC:
SS:
1 2 3 4
0 2 3 4
Close the door!
Note: 0 is deletion
