The document discusses transformational generative grammar as introduced by Noam Chomsky in 1957, highlighting the concepts of deep structure and surface structure in sentences. It explains the rules related to phrase structure, transformational transformations (negative, passive, contraction), and morphophonemic rules that convert morphemes to spoken language. The document also notes criticism of this grammar approach for neglecting semantics and the roles of subjects and objects in sentences.

1. Transformational generative
GRAMMAR
National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad
Department of English Studies

2. Transformation Generative

3. INTRODUCTION
 Noam
Chomsky
 Syntactic
Structures
 1957
Competence vs
Performance
Knowledge is
innate
Language is
universal

4. Deep Structure
Levels of Syntactic Structures
Surface Structure
refers to the words /
language we use to represent
the deep structure.
Deep structure refers to
concepts, thoughts, ideas &
feelings
I bought colorful clothes > Surface structure
How many clothes ?
Which type?
Which color?
Deep structure

5. S
girl
Phrase Structural Rule( Rewriting Rule):
Phrase-structure rules provide us with the underlying syntactic structure of
sentences.
VP
DET N
V NP
The scared
N
D
dog
the
NP
S NP VP
NP DET N
VP V NP

6. Transformational Structure Rule:
This is the second level of transformational grammar and the level in which transformational rules operate
in reality by converting one string into another.
Negative transformation: this is the rule for forming negative version for positive sentences.
Passive transformation: this is rule for deriving passive form from active form.
The contraction transformation: this rule attaches the contracted negative (n’t) to the element that proceeds “not”. It
is applied after affix hopping.
Morphophonemic Rules:
It converts the string of morphemes comprising a terminal string into the sounds of the language. For
example, go + past = went, product + tion = production.

7. Criticism
• No focus on the semantic role of a sentences.
• The importance of subject and object in a sentence was neglected.
• For example, The key opened the door
– The door was opened with the key
• Language acquisition and performance was ignored.