SELECTION in English Syntax

1. SELECTION
in
English Syntax

2. Preliminaries
What does choosing the words for constructing
a sentence depend on ?
MEANING
For example :
Peppers i am eating are hot
Apple i am eating are hot

3. The intendeed meaning might mislead one :
• to include words that render the sentence
ungramatical
I feel myself sick – i feel sick
• not to include words that are needed for
gramaticality
it raining – it is raining
• to include right words in wrong forms
He read a book – He reads a book

4. SELECTION
A. Selection of words
Basic schema of all selection roles :
(M) If A, then B/ W
A : Selector ( costituent (s)that have already been
selected that call for selectee)
B : Selectee (item to be selected)
M : Modality
W : context
In context W, if A has been selected, B must (or may or
must not) also be selected

5. Example
In English, for constructing a sentence, a verb
must be selected
A (selector) = sentence
B (selectee) = verb
W (context) = English
M (modality) = Must

6. if a phrase includes a preposition, it must also include a noun
phrase
if a phrase is to be a prepositional phrase, it must include a
pereposition
if a phrase include a preposition it will have to be a
prepositional phrase

7. Complexity : selector and selectee involve one or
more entity
If A, then B1 or B2
If A1 and A2 then B
Example :
- Transitive verbs select a subject and a direct
object
- Distransitive verbs select a subject, a direct object
and an indirect obeject

8. UNIDIRECTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Adjectives require nouns, nouns do not require adjectives
2. Adverbs require verb or adjective, verbs and adjective do not
require adverbs
3. Auxiliaries require main verbs, main verbs do not require
auxiliaries
4. The reflexive pronoun himself requires the presence of a
singular masculine subject, but singular masculine subjects
do not require the presence of a reflexive pronoun
- Modalty

9. 1. Finite verbs require tense, tense requires
finite verbs
2. (some) nouns require articles, articles
require (some) nouns
BIDIRICETIONAL ( =MUTUAL ) MUTUAL
REQUIREMENT

10. 1. The verbs eat and drink mayor may not co-
occur with objects
2. An anaphoric pronoun such as she may or
may not have an antecedent
MUTUAL TOLERANCE

11. 1. Articles and proper names of people
mutually exlude each other
2. The verb give birth and masculine subjects
mutually exlude each other
3. Verbs and adjectives mutually exclude
each other
MUTUAL PROHIBITION

12. • The dog like to runs fastly
• likes ( affix – s ) without affix - ly
without affix - s
THE SELECTION OF WORD FORMS
THE WORD STEM THE SYNTACTIC CONTEXT
1. TWO PATTERNS

13. The selection of word form
2. Agreement
a constituent duplicates a features value of
another constituent
• Selector – controller (choice)
• Selectee – target (affix)
Example :
I speak English – He speaks English

14. 3. government :
a pattern of word from selection where the
case maker of one constituent is
determined by another constituent.
• Selector – governor
• Selectee – governee
Example :
John approves of her – John worries about her

15. A Comparison of Word Selection and
Word Form Selection
A. Shared Terms
In both agreement and
government, one of the terms is a
nominal constituent. This is not
necessarily so in word selection

16. B. Selectional Properties
(a) In both agreement and in some
instances of word choice, the basic
of selection is similarity between
the selector and the selectee. This
is not so in government.
(b) In Government, the assigned
property in government must be
case; in agreement, it may be case.

17. (c) Directionaly
If government and word selection invovle
the same terms, the directionaly of
selection is the same; that is, selector in
one pattern corresponds to selector in the
other and selectee in one corresponds to
selectee in the other.
In agreement, the selector and selectee of
government and word selection switch
roles.