Week 3a. Week 3a. -roles, feature -roles, feature checkingchecking

3.5-3.63.5-3.6

CAS LX 522CAS LX 522Syntax ISyntax I

Previously, in LX522…Previously, in LX522… We left off last time We left off last time

exploring the idea that exploring the idea that sentences are built from sentences are built from syntactic objects by using syntactic objects by using the operation the operation MergeMerge, taking , taking two syntactic objects and two syntactic objects and forming a new one from forming a new one from them.them.

Big picture:Big picture: What we’re What we’re trying to model is a system trying to model is a system that can construct all—and that can construct all—and only—those strings of words only—those strings of words that correspond to that correspond to sentences of a language sentences of a language (e.g., English). If we (e.g., English). If we succeed, this system is (at succeed, this system is (at least isomorphic to) what least isomorphic to) what we know when we know the we know when we know the language.language.

B C

D E

Previously, in LX522…Previously, in LX522… So far, we have:So far, we have:

The lexicon The lexicon (containing (containing words, bundles of features)words, bundles of features)

MergeMerge (forms a syntactic (forms a syntactic object from two others).object from two others).

Merging two objects yields Merging two objects yields a new object that has the a new object that has the properties of one of the properties of one of the two objects.two objects.

Merging Merging eateat and and lunchlunch yields a object that has yields a object that has the same kinds of the same kinds of properties as properties as eat.eat.

The object whose features The object whose features determine the features of determine the features of the new object (the new object (projectproject) is ) is the the headhead of the new object—of the new object—the most important the most important component.component.

The question now is: The question now is: how how does Merge know which one does Merge know which one is the head?is the head?

B C

D E

Who’s in charge here?Who’s in charge here? The idea we are going The idea we are going to pursue here is to pursue here is that one of the two that one of the two objects objects needsneeds Merge Merge to happen—and to happen—and the the needy one is the needy one is the headhead..

What does it mean to What does it mean to “need to Merge”?“need to Merge”?

Consider Consider hithit. This . This can’t really stand on can’t really stand on its own. It doesn’t its own. It doesn’t mean anything (its mean anything (its truth can’t be truth can’t be evaluated) without evaluated) without providing a hitter providing a hitter and a hittee.and a hittee.

B C

D E

Predicates, arguments, Predicates, arguments, and propositionsand propositions

Conventional wisdom has it that a Conventional wisdom has it that a sentence needs a subject and a sentence needs a subject and a predicate.predicate.

The idea is that the sentence expresses The idea is that the sentence expresses that the property signified by the that the property signified by the predicate holds of the subject.predicate holds of the subject.

Pat dancedPat danced.. DancedDanced is the predicate, it’s a is the predicate, it’s a property that property that PatPat, the subject, has (if , the subject, has (if the sentence is true). Something that the sentence is true). Something that can be true or false, a “complete can be true or false, a “complete thought”, is a proposition.thought”, is a proposition.

Verbs and argumentsVerbs and arguments Some are basically complete as they Some are basically complete as they stand.stand. Rain:Rain: It rained. It rained.

Some have only a subject, they can’t Some have only a subject, they can’t have an object—the have an object—the intransitiveintransitive verbs verbs (1-place predicates)(1-place predicates).. Sleep: Sleep: Bill sleptBill slept; ; *Bill slept the book*Bill slept the book..

Some also need an object—the Some also need an object—the transitivetransitive verbs verbs (2-place predicates)(2-place predicates).. Hit: Hit: *Bill hit*Bill hit; ; Bill hit the pillowBill hit the pillow..

Some need two objects—Some need two objects—ditransitiveditransitive verbs verbs (3-place predicates)(3-place predicates).. Put: Put: *Bill put*Bill put; ; *Bill put the book*Bill put the book;;Bill put the book on the tableBill put the book on the table..

Verbs and argumentsVerbs and arguments The “participants” in an event denoted by The “participants” in an event denoted by the verb are the the verb are the argumentsarguments of that verb.of that verb.

Some verbs require one argument, some Some verbs require one argument, some require two arguments, some require three require two arguments, some require three arguments, some require none.arguments, some require none.

Intuitively, the number of arguments is Intuitively, the number of arguments is the number of things that a verb needs in the number of things that a verb needs in order to make a proposition (something order to make a proposition (something that can be either true or false).that can be either true or false).

PredicatesPredicates

We will consider verbs to be We will consider verbs to be predicatespredicates which define properties of which define properties of and/or relations between the and/or relations between the argumentsarguments.. Bill hit the ballBill hit the ball There was a hitting, Bill did the There was a hitting, Bill did the hitting, the ball was affected by the hitting, the ball was affected by the hitting.hitting.

Different arguments have different Different arguments have different rolesroles in the event. (e.g., The in the event. (e.g., The hitter, the hittee)hitter, the hittee)

Thematic relationsThematic relations

It has come to be standard It has come to be standard practice to think of the practice to think of the selectional restrictions in terms selectional restrictions in terms of the of the thematic relationthematic relation that the that the argument has to the verb—the role argument has to the verb—the role it plays in the event.it plays in the event.

One thematic relation is One thematic relation is agentagent of of an action, like an action, like BillBill in: in: Bill kicked the ball.Bill kicked the ball.

Common thematic Common thematic relationsrelations

AgentAgent: initiator or doer in the : initiator or doer in the eventevent

ThemeTheme: affected by the event, or : affected by the event, or undergoes the actionundergoes the action Bill kicked the ball. Bill kicked the ball.

ExperiencerExperiencer: feel or perceive the : feel or perceive the eventevent Bill likes pizza.Bill likes pizza.

PropositionProposition: a statement, can be : a statement, can be true/false.true/false. Bill said that he likes pizza.Bill said that he likes pizza.

Thematic relationsThematic relations

GoalGoal:: Bill ran Bill ran to Copley Squareto Copley Square.. Bill gave the book Bill gave the book to Maryto Mary.. (Recipient)(Recipient)

SourceSource:: Bill took a pencil Bill took a pencil from the pilefrom the pile..

InstrumentInstrument: : Bill ate the burrito Bill ate the burrito with a plastic sporkwith a plastic spork..

BenefactiveBenefactive:: Bill cooked dinner Bill cooked dinner for Maryfor Mary..

LocationLocation:: Bill sits Bill sits under the treeunder the tree on Wednesdays. on Wednesdays.

Thematic relationsThematic relations

Armed with these terms, we can Armed with these terms, we can describe the semantic describe the semantic connection between the verb and connection between the verb and its arguments.its arguments. Ray gave a grape to Bill.Ray gave a grape to Bill.

RayRay: : Agent, Source, …Agent, Source, … A grapeA grape: : ThemeTheme BillBill: : Goal, Recipient, …Goal, Recipient, …

Intransitives:Intransitives:Unergatives and Unergatives and unaccusativesunaccusatives For intransitive verbs (1-place For intransitive verbs (1-place

predicates), there are two primary predicates), there are two primary classes:classes: Unergatives:Unergatives: Agent assigned to argument. Agent assigned to argument.

Pat danced. Pat yodelled.Pat danced. Pat yodelled. Unaccusatives:Unaccusatives: Theme assigned to argument. Theme assigned to argument.

Pat tripped. The boat sank.Pat tripped. The boat sank.

Basically what you’d expect considering Basically what you’d expect considering the normal transitive (2-place) verbs the normal transitive (2-place) verbs that have an Agent and a Theme.that have an Agent and a Theme.

The naming of these classes is not my The naming of these classes is not my fault.fault.

-roles-roles An argument can participate in several An argument can participate in several thematic relations with the verb (e.g., thematic relations with the verb (e.g., Agent, Goal).Agent, Goal).

In the syntax, we assign a special connection In the syntax, we assign a special connection to the verb called a “to the verb called a “-role-role”, which is a ”, which is a collection collection of thematic relations.of thematic relations.

For the purposes of syntax, the For the purposes of syntax, the -role (the -role (the collection collection of relations) is much more central of relations) is much more central than the actual relations in the collection.than the actual relations in the collection.

-role

Agent

Source

-roles-roles

We will often need to make We will often need to make reference to a particular reference to a particular -role, -role, and we will often do this by and we will often do this by referring to the most prominent referring to the most prominent relation in the collection.relation in the collection.

For example, in For example, in Bill hit the ballBill hit the ball, , we say that we say that BillBill has the “Agent has the “Agent --role”, meaning it has a role”, meaning it has a -role -role containing the Agent relation, containing the Agent relation, perhaps among others.perhaps among others.

The Unique The Unique GeneralizationGeneralization

Each Each -role must be assigned to a -role must be assigned to a constituent, but a constituent constituent, but a constituent cannot be assigned more than one cannot be assigned more than one -role.-role. (a.k.a. “the (a.k.a. “the -criterion”)-criterion”)

Verbs have a certain number of Verbs have a certain number of --roles to roles to assignassign (e.g., (e.g., saysay has has two), and each of those must be two), and each of those must be assigned to a distinct argument.assigned to a distinct argument.

C-selectionC-selection Verbs are recorded in the lexicon with the Verbs are recorded in the lexicon with the

-roles they assign as part of their -roles they assign as part of their meaning.meaning.

But, (some) verbs can assign the same type But, (some) verbs can assign the same type of of -role to different categories of -role to different categories of argument:argument: Pat felt a tremor. Pat felt uncomfortable. Pat Pat felt a tremor. Pat felt uncomfortable. Pat felt that Chris had not performed well.felt that Chris had not performed well.

PatPat is the Experiencer; is the Experiencer; a tremora tremor (noun), (noun), uncomfortableuncomfortable (adjective), or (adjective), or that…wellthat…well (sentence) is the (sentence) is the Theme/Source. So Theme/Source. So -role does not determine syntactic -role does not determine syntactic category. And syntactic category certainly does not category. And syntactic category certainly does not determine determine -role.-role.

Pat kicked a pail. *Pat kicked unhappy. *Pat Pat kicked a pail. *Pat kicked unhappy. *Pat kicked that the earth is round.kicked that the earth is round.

So verbs also need to be recorded with information So verbs also need to be recorded with information about the syntactic categor{y/ies} they combine with.about the syntactic categor{y/ies} they combine with.

C-selection C-selection (“Subcategorization”)(“Subcategorization”)

KickKick needs a nominal object.needs a nominal object. Pat kicked the pail.Pat kicked the pail.

KickKick has a [V] category feature, but also has a [V] category feature, but also needs to have an [N] category feature in needs to have an [N] category feature in some form to specify that it needs a nominal some form to specify that it needs a nominal object.object.

BUT—We don’t want to risk interpreting BUT—We don’t want to risk interpreting kickkick as a noun, as a noun, though. So, the [V] and [N] features must have a though. So, the [V] and [N] features must have a different status.different status.

On On kickkick, the [V] feature is , the [V] feature is interpretableinterpretable. . The [N] feature is just for use in The [N] feature is just for use in assembling the structure, it is not assembling the structure, it is not interpreted—hence interpreted—hence uninterpretableuninterpretable..

The uninterpretable feature is an instruction for Merge.The uninterpretable feature is an instruction for Merge. The interpretable feature plays a role in determining the The interpretable feature plays a role in determining the meaning of the word.meaning of the word.

C-selectionC-selection

Not all transitive verbs (that take Not all transitive verbs (that take just one object) can take the same just one object) can take the same kind of object.kind of object. Sue knows [Sue knows [DPDP the answer ] the answer ]

Sue knows [Sue knows [CPCP that Bill left early ] that Bill left early ]

Sue hit [Sue hit [DPDP the ball ] the ball ]

*Sue hit [*Sue hit [CPCP that Bill left early] that Bill left early]

So So knowknow can take either a DP or a CP can take either a DP or a CP as its object argument; as its object argument; hithit can only can only take a DP as its object argument.take a DP as its object argument.

S-selectionS-selection Verbs also exert semantic control of the Verbs also exert semantic control of the kinds of arguments they allow.kinds of arguments they allow.

For example, many verbs can only have a For example, many verbs can only have a volitional (agentive) subject:volitional (agentive) subject: Bill likes pizza. Bill kicked the stone.Bill likes pizza. Bill kicked the stone. #Pizza likes anchovies. #The stone kicked Bill.#Pizza likes anchovies. #The stone kicked Bill.

We’ll assume that this is not encoded in We’ll assume that this is not encoded in the syntactic features, but if you mess up the syntactic features, but if you mess up with respect to s-selection, the with respect to s-selection, the interpretation is anomalous.interpretation is anomalous.

Feature checkingFeature checking For our model, we will say that For our model, we will say that if a if a syntactic object has an uninterpretable syntactic object has an uninterpretable feature, it must Merge with a syntactic feature, it must Merge with a syntactic object that has a matching featureobject that has a matching feature— and — and once it’s done, the requirement is met. The once it’s done, the requirement is met. The uninterpretable feature is uninterpretable feature is checkedchecked..

Specifically:Specifically: Full Interpretation:Full Interpretation: The structure to which the The structure to which the semantic interface rules apply contains no semantic interface rules apply contains no uninterpretable features.uninterpretable features.

Checking Requirement:Checking Requirement: Uninterpretable features Uninterpretable features must be checked (and once checked, they are must be checked (and once checked, they are deleted)deleted)

Checking (under sisterhood):Checking (under sisterhood): An uninterpretable An uninterpretable feature F on a syntactic object Y is checked feature F on a syntactic object Y is checked when Y is sister to another syntactic object Z when Y is sister to another syntactic object Z which bears a matching feature F.which bears a matching feature F.

Feature checkingFeature checking To distinguish To distinguish

interpretable features interpretable features from uninterpretable from uninterpretable features, we will write features, we will write uninterpretable features uninterpretable features with a with a uu in front of in front of them.them.

D has uninterpretable D has uninterpretable feature Ffeature F

E has interpretable E has interpretable feature F.feature F.

If we Merge them, the If we Merge them, the uninterpretable feature uninterpretable feature can be checked (under can be checked (under sisterhood).sisterhood).

D[uF]

E[F]

Feature checkingFeature checking To distinguish To distinguish

interpretable features interpretable features from uninterpretable from uninterpretable features, we will write features, we will write uninterpretable features uninterpretable features with a with a uu in front of in front of them.them.

D has uninterpretable D has uninterpretable feature Ffeature F

E has interpretable E has interpretable feature F.feature F.

If we Merge them, the If we Merge them, the uninterpretable feature uninterpretable feature can be checked (under can be checked (under sisterhood).sisterhood).

C

D[uF]

E[F]

Feature checkingFeature checking Or, for a more concrete Or, for a more concrete

exampleexample

kickkick is a verb (has an is a verb (has an interpretable V feature) interpretable V feature) and c-selects a noun and c-selects a noun (has an uninterpretable (has an uninterpretable N feature).N feature).

me me is a noun (a pronoun is a noun (a pronoun in fact, has an in fact, has an interpretable N feature, interpretable N feature, and others like and others like accusative case, first accusative case, first person, singular)person, singular)

kick[uN, V]

me[N, acc, 1, sg]

Feature checkingFeature checking Or, for a more concrete Or, for a more concrete

exampleexample

kickkick is a verb (has an is a verb (has an interpretable V feature) interpretable V feature) and c-selects a noun (has and c-selects a noun (has an uninterpretable N an uninterpretable N feature).feature).

me me is a noun (a pronoun in is a noun (a pronoun in fact, has an interpretable fact, has an interpretable N feature, and others like N feature, and others like accusative case, first accusative case, first person, singular)person, singular)

Merging them will check the Merging them will check the uninterpretable feature, uninterpretable feature, and the structure can be and the structure can be interpreted.interpreted.

V

kick[uN, V]

me[N, acc, 1, sg]

Feature checkingFeature checking The head is the “needy” The head is the “needy”

one. The one that had the one. The one that had the uninterpretable feature uninterpretable feature that was checked by that was checked by Merge.Merge.

The combination has the The combination has the features of the verb features of the verb kickkick and so its distribution and so its distribution will be like a verb’s will be like a verb’s distribution would be.distribution would be.

Pat wants to kick me.Pat wants to kick me. Pat wants to drive.Pat wants to drive. I like to draw elephants.I like to draw elephants. *Pat wants to elephants.*Pat wants to elephants. *I like to draw kick me.*I like to draw kick me.

V

kick[uN, V]

me[N, acc, 1, sg]

Chris glanced at PatPatPat [ [ ]] ChrisChris [ [ ]]

atat [[ ]] glancedglanced [ [ ]]