Page 363 - DENG504_LINGUISTICS

Unit 28: Transformational Generative Grammar

(6) PS rules follow an ‘intrinsic’, ‘a trivial’ order; T rules follow an ‘extrinsic,’ ‘cyclic order’. Notes
(7) PS rules use/—>/symbol. T rules use/=>/symbol.
(8) With various constraints PS rules, according to Chomsky, would look very “complex” whereas
T-rules are “simple” (some scholars disagree with the claim of Chomsky).
(9) T rules are ‘more powerful’ than PS rules as they account for more facts or account for them
more correctly.
(10) T rules are more adequate, more precise, more insightful and more elegant than PS rules.
(11) PS rules only expand one symbol into another, T-rules transform one structure into another.
(12) T rules reflect the intuition of the native speaker and are semantically more revealing than PS
rules.
Why Should T-Rules be Ordered ?

T-rules must always be ordered. They follow strict, extrinsic cyclic order. If they are not ordered we
will not be able to derive the desired surface structure, or else will get an ungrammatical, unacceptable,
surface structure. The following data may stand for the validity of our statement,
1. IMPERATIVE
Don’t wash yourself
From the underlying string
Imp
[You pres wash you]
Neg
S
IMP
NEG VP
NP
AUX V NP

TNS

YOU PRES WASH YOU
*IMP
(YOU PRES YOU)
NEG
Rule No. 1 T Rflexivization
IMP [You Pres wash yourself]
Neg
Rule No. 2 T Neg
Imp [You Pres not wash yourself]

Rule No. 3 T Do-Insertion
Imp [You Pres do not wash yourself]
Rule No. 4 T Imp
Pres do not wash yourself

Rule No. 5 Affix
do pres
Do not wash yourself.

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