CONSTITUENCY TESTS - Brigham Young University

1 CONSTITUENCY TESTS LAST A constituent is a string of words that acts as a unit in the syntax. CONSTITUENCY can be shown using a syntax tree. Tr e e s h a v e n o d e s & b r a n c h e s A particular node may have a mother, a sister, and/or a daughter. CONSTITUENTS Some words are more closely related than others. [My [mangy dog]] [will [chase [her cat]]]. My mangy [dog will] chase her cat. Wo rd s t h a t a re c l o s e ly re l a t e d c a n b e m a n i p u l a t e d i n the syntax. It is my mangy dog that will chase her cat. It is her cat that my mangy dog will chase. *It is dog will that my mangy chase her cat. CONSTITUENTS How do we know a string of words is a constituent? Why would we want to know if a string of words is a constituent?

2 AMBIGUITY John saw [the man] [with the telescope]. John saw [the man with the telescope]. CONSTITUENTS How do we know a string of words is a constituent? 1. Morphology 2. CONSTITUENCY texts MORPHOLOGY Morphosyntactic features (number, gender, case) are not exclusively properties of words, but of phrases English } these books German (gender, number, case) } diesen Freuden COORDINATION TESTS for: any kind of constituent description: If two strings are connected by a conjunction like and or or and the result is grammatical, then the strings are the same kind of constituent. When applying a test, use two strings that contain the same number and grammatical category of words. Some examples of coordination: Original sentence: [DP My blue podracer] is going to race.

3 Te s t s e n t e n c e : [DP My blue podracer] and [DP your red podracer] are going to race. Conclusion: The bracketed portion is a constituent. COORDINATION Original sentence: The emperor sent [Vader to] Endor. Te s t : * T h e e m p e r o r s e n t [ V a d e r t o ] a n d [ L u k e t o ] Endor. Conclusion: It is not a constituent. Original sentence: The rebels like to [ride speeder bikes in the forest.] Te s t : Conclusion: COORDINATION Original sentence: The emperor [sent Vader to Endor]. Te s t : *The emperor [sent Vader to Endor] and [Tuesday]. Conclusion: T h i s t e s t h a s b e e n d o n e i n c o r re c t l y ! CAUTION: Because coordination is the most widely applicable CONSTITUENCY test, it also has the most things that can go wrong with it.

4 Always do another test as well. SUBSTITUTION TESTS for: different things, depending upon what you're using as a substitute. description: If a string of words forms a unit it should behave like something that we have good reason to believe is a unit, such as a single word. If a string behaves like a single word, then it is reasonable to conclude it is a constituent. Pronouns can substitute for DPs. Did so/do so can substitute for VPs SUBSTITUTION - PRONOUNS Use this test when you have a determiner and a noun (and possibly other words with it). Original sentence: I ate [DP a jawa] earlier. Te s t : I a t e [DP it] earlier. Conclusion: It is a constituent. Original sentence: [My silver droid] will translate that language. Te s t : Conclusion: SUBSTITUTION - PRONOUNS Yo u g e t a n u n g r a m m a t i c a l s e n t e n c e i n E n g l i s h i f y o u t o r e p l a c e p a r t o f t h e DP or more than the DP.

5 Original sentence: [My silver] droid will translate that language. Te s t : * I t d r o i d w i l l t r a n s l a t e t h a t l a n g u a g e . Conclusion: not a constituent Original sentence: [My silver droid will] translate that language. Te s t : * I t t r a n s l a t e t h a t l a n g u a g e . Conclusion: Be careful of meaning changes in the test sentence. Original sentence: The ewoks lowered [the net with a rope]. (meaning they used a rope to lower the net) Te s t : Conclusion: SUBSTITUTION NP one or ones use this test when you have a noun+other words but not a determiner. Original sentence: Luke saw [DP that [NP rabid rancor]] in the pit. Te s t : L u k e s a w [DP that [NP one]] in the pit. Conclusion: Make sure you leave D behind.

6 SUBSTITUTION DID SO/DO SO Yo u c a n r e p l a c e V P w i t h did so and do so. Original sentence: Han [VP fixed the millennium falcon]. Te s t : H a n [VP fixed the millennium falcon] and Chewbacca [VP did] too. Conclusion: Original sentence: My silver droid will [translate that language] after he fixes my speeder. Te s t : Conclusion: Original sentence: My silver droid will [translate that language after he] fixes my speeder. Te s t : Conclusion: DO SUBSTITUTION in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Ever heard of Sirius Black? You must have done been in the papers for the last couple of years died a few weeks ago (70). CONSTITUENCY TESTS SUBSTITUTION PP Substitute a PP with there, then, etc. (it depends on the PP) Original sentence: Vader met Luke [PP on Cloud City] on Tuesday.

7 Te s t : V a d e r m e t L u k e [ there] on Tuesday. Conclusion: DELETION VP ELLIPSIS TESTS for: VPs description: If a phrase with a verb gets deleted in a context where the information can be assumed, then the deleted constituent is a VP. This context is often the answer to questions or a coordinate construction. The best way to do this test is to start with your original sentence, add and, a n d then include a parallel sentence. Original sentence: Obi-Wan will [give Luke a lightsaber before they leave Ta t o o i n e]. Te s t : O b i - W a n w i l l [ g i v e L u k e a lightsaber before they leave Ta t o o i n e] and Yoda will [VP e ] too. Conclusion: The bracketed portion is a constituent. It is acceptable to add too or to change words in the parallel sentence as long as you have the same number of words and words of the same grammatical category.

8 FRONTING TESTS for: PP, VP, DP Fronting doesn't work for constituents already at the beginning of the sentence. T h e s e w o r k s b e s t w h e n t h e f r o n t e d c o n s t i t u e n t i s e m p h a s i z e d . Yo u c a n ' t f r o n t a n N P a n d l e a v e a D P b e h i n d . T h e r e s u l t s t e l l y o u n o t h i n g . [To hide their numbers], Sandpeople travel single file. [PP On Degobah], Luke meets Yoda. Original sentence: The jawas captured the [small droid]. Incorrect application of fronting: *Small droid, the jawas captured the. VP FRONTING This test really only works when you have a VP. When you front a VP, you must leave an auxiliary behind. It was 19 years ago almost to the day that Boro had to beat Newcastle on the last day of the season to avoid dropping into the old third division.

9 And beat them we We had gotten there quite early to beat the and beat them we did! :) One by one we had to get past the beefy guards who checked our bags, plus of course, the beefy Beef Eaters! CONSTITUENCY TESTS CLEFTS TESTS for: any kind of constituent To u s e t h i s t e s t , a d d it was or it is, f o l l o we d b y t h e b r a c ke t e d p o r t i o n , t h e n that, t h e n t h e re s t o f t h e s e n t e n c e . Yo u c a n ' t c l e f t a n N P a n d l e a v e b e h i n d t h e D. Cleft only the bracketed portion. Original sentence: [The death star] will blow up many planets. Te s t : It is the death star that will blow up many planets. Conclusion: The bracketed portion is a constituent. Original sentence: The death star will blow up [many planets].

10 Te s t : Conclusion.