Introduction- Grammatical Hierarchy Grammar is the structural system of a language. The grammar of English is organized into five ranks: the sentence, the clause, the phrase, the word and the morpheme Each rank is composed of one or more than one grammatical unit of the immediate lower unit. A full sentence can generally be segmented rank by rank down to its smallest constituents---the morphemes
Introduction-Grammatical Hierarchy • Grammar is the structural system of a language. The grammar of English is organized into five ranks: the sentence, the clause, the phrase, the word and the morpheme. Each rank is composed of one or more than one grammatical unit of the immediate lower unit. A full sentence can generally be segmented rank by rank down to its smallest constituents---the morphemes
1. Morphemes(词素 The morpheme is the minimum or smallest grammatical unit, also the smallest meaningful element of speech. Morphemes fall into two categories; free morphemes(自由词素) and bound morphemes(粘附 词素) Free morphemes: a free morpheme has a complete meaning and can stand by itself as a simple word. It can sometimes act as a complete utterance in connected speech. I see examples on Page 21 Bound morphemes: bound morphemes are mostly affixes. They are also meaningful, but the meaning is not complete in itself unless it is attached to some other form. Therefore, a bound morpheme cannot stand by itself: it only exists as an inflectional(曲折变化的)or derivational(派生的)aix. Isee examples on Pages2-3] Allomorphs(词素变体): the same morpheme in different contexts may take different phonological(语音的) or orthographical(拼写的) forms. The variants of the same morpheme are called allomorphs.[see examples on Page 3
1. Morphemes(词素) • The morpheme is the minimum or smallest grammatical unit, also the smallest meaningful element of speech. Morphemes fall into two categories: free morphemes (自由词素) and bound morphemes (粘附 词素). • Free morphemes: a free morpheme has a complete meaning and can stand by itself as a simple word. It can sometimes act as a complete utterance in connected speech. [see examples on Page 2] • Bound morphemes: bound morphemes are mostly affixes. They are also meaningful, but the meaning is not complete in itself unless it is attached to some other form. Therefore, a bound morpheme cannot stand by itself: it only exists as an inflectional(曲折变化的) or derivational(派生的) affix. [see examples on Pages 2-3] • Allomorphs(词素变体): the same morpheme in different contexts may take different phonological(语音的) or orthographical(拼写的) forms. The variants of the same morpheme are called “allomorphs”.[see examples on Page 3]
2 words The word is composed of one or more than one morpheme. Words can be classified In two ways 1)Classified in terms of word-formation In terms of word-formation, words can be divided into simple words(na #f in) derivatives派生词) and compounds(复合词).[ see examples on Pages3-6] 2)Classified in terms of grammatical function In terms of grammatical function, words can be divided into two main groups closed words((封闭词类) and open- class words(开放词类) Closed-class words refer to those sets of words whose items areclosed" or limited in number and are only exceptionally extended by the creation of additional members, such as prepositions, pronouns, determiners, conjunctions, auxiliaries, etc Open-class words refer to those sets of words whose items are indefinitely extendable. New items are constantly being created and old items are giving place to new ones, such as nouns, adjectives, adverbs, main verbs(主动词) There is another class existing between the two, which includes cardinal numeral ordinal numeral, interjection, etc
2. words • The word is composed of one or more than one morpheme. Words can be classified in two ways: • 1) Classified in terms of word-formation • In terms of word-formation, words can be divided into simple words(简单词), derivatives(派生词) and compounds(复合词). [see examples on Pages 3-6] • 2) Classified in terms of grammatical function • In terms of grammatical function, words can be divided into two main groups: closed words(封闭词类)and open-class words(开放词类). • Closed-class words refer to those sets of words whose items are “closed” or limited in number and are only exceptionally extended by the creation of additional members, such as prepositions, pronouns, determiners, conjunctions, auxiliaries, etc. • Open-class words refer to those sets of words whose items are indefinitely extendable. New items are constantly being created and old items are giving place to new ones, such as nouns, adjectives, adverbs, main verbs(主动词). • There is another class existing between the two, which includes cardinal numeral, ordinal numeral, interjection, etc
Phrases The phrase is composed of one or more than one word. Generally, the phrase is a group of words organized in a specific way with a key word as its head(tt ia ) The word class of the head determines the class of the phrase and the way in which the words are organized 1)The noun phrase The noun phrase is a phrase with a noun as its head. The general pattern of a noun phrase is (determiner +)(premodifier + noun(+postmodifier) see examples on Page 7 the tall boy sitting in the corner °2) The verb phrase The verb phrase is a phrase with a main verb as its head. A verb phrase can be simple or complex. A simple verb phrase is just a main verb or modifier+main verb She looks pale ° We utterly detested him A complex verb phrase is a main verb preceded by an auxiliary(or auxiliaries)(+modifier) She ought to have told him about it In terms of grammatical form, a verb phrase can be finite or nonfinite. A finite verb phrase is initiated by a finite form, that is, a verb form that changes according to tense or subject. A nonfinite verb phrase is a phrase initiated by a nonfinite form, that is, a verb form that does not change according to tense or subject. [see examples on Pages 7-8 w We went there to see a film
Phrases • The phrase is composed of one or more than one word. Generally, the phrase is a group of words organized in a specific way with a key word as its head(中心词). The word class of the head determines the class of the phrase and the way in which the words are organized. • 1) The noun phrase • The noun phrase is a phrase with a noun as its head. The general pattern of a noun phrase is: (determiner +) (premodifier +) noun(+postmodifier) [see examples on Page 7] • the tall boy sitting in the corner • 2) The verb Phrase • The verb phrase is a phrase with a main verb as its head. A verb phrase can be simple or complex. A simple verb phrase is just a main verb or “modifier+main verb”. • She looks pale. • We utterly detested him. • A complex verb phrase is a main verb preceded by an auxiliary(or auxiliaries)(+modifier). • She ought to have told him about it. • In terms of grammatical form, a verb phrase can be finite or nonfinite. A finite verb phrase is initiated by a finite form, that is, a verb form that changes according to tense or subject. A nonfinite verb phrase is a phrase initiated by a nonfinite form, that is, a verb form that does not change according to tense or subject. [see examples on Pages 7-8] • We went there to see a film
3)The adjective phrase The adjective phrase is a phrase with an adjective as its head The general pattern of an adjective phrase is (modifier+) adjective(+postmodifier/complementation) You are not careful enough 4)The adverb phrase The adverb phrase is a phrase with an adverb as its head. The general pattern of an adverb phrase is (modifier+)adverb(+postmodifier) He speaks very clearly indeed 5)The prepositional phrase The prepositional phrase is a phrase with a preposition as its head. The general pattern of a prepositional phrase is (modifier+) preposition complementation They followed close behind me
• 3) The adjective phrase • The adjective phrase is a phrase with an adjective as its head. The general pattern of an adjective phrase is: (modifier+) adjective (+postmodifier/complementation) • You are not careful enough. • 4) The adverb phrase • The adverb phrase is a phrase with an adverb as its head. The general pattern of an adverb phrase is: (modifier+) adverb (+postmodifier) • He speaks very clearly indeed. • 5) The prepositional phrase • The prepositional phrase is a phrase with a preposition as its head. The general pattern of a prepositional phrase is: (modifier+) preposition + complementation • They followed close behind me