Unification grammars have syntax and semantics working together, so some explanations (that cause big problems for Transformational Grammar) are really easy and natural.

1. CONTENT

2. Syntax is autonomous!

3. Many people disagreed

4. No real evidence!

5. Nobody believes it, anyway!

6. Unification Grammars

7. Content is important

8. Meaning and grammar work together

9. CONTENT is unified through the head

10. V onto VP and so on

11. Notice the structure-sharing

12. [sees us] – what about the SEER?

14. The squared numbers …

15. … a shortcut to show structure-sharing

16. [he sees us]

17. Notice the CONT shared up the head

18. V to VP to VP

19. Look at CONT

20. Structure-sharing is dynamic

21. It looks like it’s MOVING up the tree

22. The ILLUSION of movement

23. Shut up! It’s REALLY movement!!

24. No, maybe it’s just an ILLUSION

25. Think about [seems]

26. [Taro seems to like Hanako]

27. [Taro] is the grammatical subject

28. But also the logical subject of [like]

29. [Taro] is the LIKER

30. He’s not a SEEMER!

31. So what’s happening? Is it movement?

32. Maybe not

33. Look at the VALENCE features SUBJ
and COMPS

34. [seems] takes a normal subject

35. And a complement …

36. The complement is a infinitival VP

37. The subject [1] of the inf VP …

38. … is structure-shared with the normal
subject [1]

39. And the CONT of the inf VP

40. Is structure-shared in the CONT of
[seems]

41. Appearance that Taro likes Hanko

42. Looks OK

43. Now look at [to like Hanako]

44. Subject is empty

45. CONT is passed up the tree

46. [seems to like Hanako]

47. Subject of [seems] unifies with the
subject of inf VP

48. CONT of the subject unifies in CONT of
[like]

49. Full sentence

50. Taro seems to like Hanako

51. CONT of [Taro] unifies through the
whole structure

52. Gives the meaning without movement

53. How about this?

54. [tries to impress Hanako]

55. [try] and [seem] are different

56. [seem to impress] – there’s no SEEMER

57. [try to impress] – there is a TRYER

58. You’re TRYING to do something

59. CONT of [try] is different

60. There’s a TRYER

61. [seem] there’s no SEEMER

62. [seem] No SEEMER

63. That is really simple

64. And rather natural

65. But Transformational Grammars can’t
do it

66. Because meaning and grammar are
separate

67. Transformational Grammars are
limited