2. X BAR THEORY
• The part of the grammar regulating the structure of phrases has come to be known as X'-theory (X’-
bar theory'). X-bar theory brings out what is common in the structure of phrases.
• It appears that for all lexical categories (N, V, P, A) the X' format of phrasal projection can be
represented by means of the layered representation. X X' X’’
3. X RULE
• The general format for phrase structure is summarized in the following PS- rules:
• XP --- Spec; X’
• X' --- ‘X; YP
• X’----x, YP
• where X stands for N; V, A or P.
4. X RULE
• XP --- Spec; X’
• X'---X; YP
• We see that the head of the projection X is related to two maximal projections: its specifier and its
complement (YP ). The relations between X and its complement on the one hand, and its specifier
on the other hand, can all be defined within the maximal projection XP. We say that these relations
are local. Locality plays an important role in the theory.
5. X BAR THEORY
X-Bar theory Claims •
Phrases may contain intermediate constituents projected from a head X
This system of projected constituency may be common to more than one category
6.
7. WHAT DOES X REALLY MEAN?
• The letter X is used to signify an arbitrary lexical
category (part of speech); when analyzing a specific
utterance, specific categories are assigned. Thus, the
X may become an N for noun, aV for verb, an A for
adjective, or a P for preposition.
8. RULES OF X-BAR I
Rules of X-Bar aka syntax assembly: An X-Phrase
consists of an optional specifier and an X-bar
9. RULES OF X-BAR II
• X-bar consists of an X-bar and an optional adjunct (X`
→ X′, adjunct)
10. RULES OF X-BAR III
• X-bar consists of an X and any number of
complements X′ → X, (complement...)
11. TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGY
• Dominance
• Node A dominates node B if and only if A is higher up in the
tree than B and if you can trace a line from A to B going only
downwards. Haegeman (1991: p.75)
12. TECHNICALTERMINOLOGY I
• Dominance
• Node A immediately dominates B iff B is a daughter
of A. The immediate constituents of A are the nodes
A immediately dominates.
13. TECHNICALTERMINOLOGY II
• Precedence
• “Node A precedes node B iff A is to the left of B andA does not
dominate B and B does not dominate A” Haegeman (1991:
p.76)
14. TECHNICALTERMINOLOGY III
• c-command
• Node A c-commands node B iff (i)
• A does not dominate B and B does not dominateA; and
• (ii) the first branching node dominating A also dominates
B Haegeman (1991: p.122)
• The set of nodes that A c-commands is called the c-command
domain of A
15. TECHNICALTERMINOLOGY III
m-command
• Node A m-commands node B iff (i) A does not dominate B
and B does not dominateA; and (ii) every maximal projection
• dominatingA also dominates B Haegeman (1991: p.135)
