Page 364 - DENG504_LINGUISTICS

Linguistics

Notes The order stated above is a correct order. Had we changed the order, we would not have derived the
desired surface structure. For example, had we not applied Rule No. 1 (Reflexivization) first of all
and instead had applied Rule No. 4 (Imperative), for example, the position would have been quite
different :
Imp
* Neg [You Pres wash you]
l. T Imp
Neg [Pres wash you]

2. T Neg

Pres not wash you

3. T Do-Insertion

Do Pres not wash you.*

4. Now we cannot apply reflexivization because reflexivization is applied only when we have
identical NP in the VP. In this case we will have only one NP, hence the surface structure we
derived would be ungrammatical.
Similarly in the operation involving extraposition, agent deletion, e.g.
It was proved that the earth is round
from
[some one proved] [that the earth is round.]
we can derive the right surface by the following order only :
1. Passivization
2. Extraposition
3. Agent Deletion
And if we change the order, we can’t get the surface structure mentioned above
Similarly consider the following example too :
Sentence : When can I see you ?

Adv.T
Underlying String : ]s
Wh
Adv.T
Qs [I Pres can sec you
Wh
1. TQ

Pres can I see you

2. TWh-Shift
AdvT
Pres can I see you
Wh

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