The document discusses structural and transformational grammars, focusing on the analysis of sentence structure through immediate constituent analysis and Chomsky's transformational generative grammar. It contrasts structural grammar's emphasis on sentence construction with transformational grammar's deeper exploration of meaning behind words, detailing concepts such as surface and deep structures as well as kernel and non-kernel sentences. The document highlights that recent interpretations of transformational theory have moved away from strict distinctions to include operations like rearrangement and addition of linguistic elements.

1. Structural
and
Transformational
Grammars

2. Structural Grammar
(means of analyzing written and spoken language)
• Sentence structure
- was represented in terms of immediate
constituent analysis
- the constituency relation derives from the
subject-predicate division of Latin and Greek
grammars that is based on term logic. Basic
clause structure is understood in terms of a
binary division of the clause into subject (noun
phrase NP) and predicate (verb phrase VP).

4. • the binary cutting of sentences and their
phrasal constituents into ICs (Immediate
constituent), the first and the most important
cut being between the group of the Subject
and the group of the Predicate – was implicit
in the “parsing” and analysis of traditional
grammar

6. • However,
in N. Chomsky’s estimation, also modern structural
linguistics, provides little insight into the
processes of formation and interpretation of
sentences; therefore, there has been renewed
interest in the formalization and use of techniques
and devices.
The method developed by N. Chomsky has now
become widely known as
TRANSFORMATIONAL GENERATIVE GRAMMAR.

7. • Transformational Grammar
- is an approach to the use of grammar in
communications that involves a logical and
analytical process to fully grasp the meaning
behind the words selected.
- From this perspective, it goes beyond the process
of structural grammar, which tends to focus on
the proper construction of sentences as the
device for communication. Along with sentence
structure, this type of grammar will also attempt
to explore the thought behind the words.

8. According to N. Chomsky’s theory,
• Sentences have a ‘surface structure’ and a
‘deep structure’. Surface structure is more
complicated, but both have minimal
differences.
• Kernel Sentences – simple, active, declarative,
indicative (described by phrase or constituent
structure methods consisting of noun and
verb phrases)

9. Kernel vs. Non Kernel
• Kernel sentences – are produced by applying
only obligatory transformations to the phase-
structure strings (affix + verb into verb + affix
in the present tense; for example ‘hit –s’)
• Non-kernel or derived sentences – involve
optional transformations, such as active to
passive (for example; ‘the boy was hit by the
man’)

10. But later,
• Interpretations of the transformational theory
have made less use of the previous
distinction. These operations consist in
rearrangement, addition, deletion and
combination of linguistic elements.