Introduction Grammatical hierarchy(语法层次) Grammar is the structural system of a language. The grammar of the English language 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 rank. Thus the sentence is a grammatical unit that consists of one or more than one clause;the clause,one or more than one phrase;the
1 Introduction Grammatical hierarchy(语法层次) Grammar is the structural system of a language. The grammar of the English language 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 rank. Thus the sentence is a grammatical unit that consists of one or more than one clause; the clause, one or more than one phrase; the
phrase,one or more than one word; and the word,one or more than one morpheme. The sentence is the highest rank of grammatical unit while the morpheme is the minimum or the lowest rank.A full sentence can generally be segmented rank by rank down to its smallest constituents---the morphemes. For example: 2
2 phrase, one or more than one word; and the word, one or more than one morpheme. The sentence is the highest rank of grammatical unit while the morpheme is the minimum or the lowest rank. A full sentence can generally be segmented rank by rank down to its smallest constituents--- the morphemes. For example:
Sentence Clause NP VP Prep 参 Det N Auxv adv.Mv Prep.Det N These under-graduate-s are rapid-ly improv-ing in their writing. 3
3 Sentence Clause NP VP Prep Det N Auxv adv. Mv Prep. Det N These under-graduate-s are rapid-ly improv-ing in their writing
$(S NP+VP NP Det N VP Vb+NP Vb Aux+V Det {the,a,this,that... N {table,girl,boy,letter,undergraduate ... Aux {will,can,might,should,be ... V {post,repair,buy,teach,sit...} 台MV {main verb}) (next)
4 (S NP+VP NP Det + N VP Vb+NP Vb Aux+V Det {the, a, this, that …} N {table, girl, boy, letter, undergraduate …} Aux {will, can, might, should, be …} V {post, repair, buy, teach, sit …} MV {main verb} ) （next）
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 and bound morphemes. 1)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.For example:desk,chair, kind,cruel. 5
5 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 and bound morphemes. 1)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. For example: desk, chair, kind, cruel
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 can not stand by itself,it only exists as an inflectional or derivational affix. Ex.Inflectional affixes:----s/es,----'s,ed/ing, er/est,ect. Derivational affixes:prefix suffix Unit-war,Marx-ist,un-luck-y
6 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 can not stand by itself, it only exists as an inflectional or derivational affix. Ex. Inflectional affixes:----s/es, ----'s, ed/ing, er/est, ect. Derivational affixes: prefix & suffix Unit-war, Marx-ist , un-luck-y
Allomorphs词素变体 The same morpheme in different contexts s may take different phonological(语音上)or orthographical forms. The variants of the same morpheme are called "allomorphs".For example: (orthographical variants 号in-- inactive incoherent 数 im----immature imperfect 爷 i-- illegal illogical 数 ir---- irrational irregular 给 (phonological variants) c“S2” 我 cats /s/ dogs /z/ horses /iz/ >
7 3) Allomorphs (词素变体) The same morpheme in different contexts may take different phonological ( 语 音 上 ) or orthographical forms. The variants of the same morpheme are called "allomorphs". For example: (orthographical variants ) in---- inactive incoherent im---- immature imperfect il---- illegal illogical ir---- irrational irregular (phonological variants) “s” cats /s/ dogs /z/ horses /iz/
我 The word is composed of one or more than one morpheme.Words can be classified in two ways: 1)Classification in terms of word-formation In terms of word-formation,words can be divided into simple words,derivatives and compounds.(Ex:foot desk,;unfair;deadline.) 2)Classification in terms of grammatical function In terms of grammatical function,words can be divided into two main groups:closed-class words and open- class words
8 2.Words The word is composed of one or more than one morpheme. Words can be classified in two ways: 1)Classification in terms of word-formation In terms of word-formation, words can be divided into simple words, derivatives and compounds. (Ex: foot desk,;unfair;deadline.) 2)Classification in terms of grammatical function In terms of grammatical function, words can be divided into two main groups: closed-class words and openclass words
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 (Function word).For example:Prep.Pronoun, Determiner,conj.Aux V. 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(Content word).Ex.,noun.,adj.,adv.,main verb.[*Cardinal Numeral,Ordinal Numeral interjection are in between.] 9
9 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 (Function word). For example: Prep. Pronoun， Determiner, conj. Aux V. 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(Content word). Ex., noun., adj., adv., main verb.[*Cardinal Numeral, Ordinal Numeral interjection are in between.]
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.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: (det.+)(pre-modifier +noun (post-modifier all the college students the tall boy sitting in the corner 10
10 3.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. 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: (det. + ) (pre-modifier + ) noun ( + post-modifier ) all the college students the tall boy sitting in the corner