Complex sentences

1. Complex sentences embedding phrases in phrases, phrases in clauses, clauses in clauses Kuiper and Allan Chapter 8.1

2. Phrases within phrases • Phrases can contain other phrases as constituents. • This process is infinite.

3. Embedding within phrases • Data • the person on the seat inside the theatre • the person [PPon [NPthe seat [PPinside [NPthe theatre]]]] • recursion NP DET N PP P NP DET N PP NP P N DET person the on the seat within the theatre

4. Recursivity in possessives NP POSS N NP POSS N NP N POSS PRON lead dog 's aunt 's my

5. Clauses within clauses • Data • a. Sally hoped that Paul would meet her today. • b. Gerry understood why the jury found him guilty. • c. Horace cried after his dog died. • Note that the underlined constituents are clauses, i.e. they have subjects and predicates.

6. Functions of embedded clauses • Data • a. Joanna knew [that Henry would come]. • b. the expectation [that Henry would come] • The identical embedded clause can perform different functions. • In a. it is a direct object. • In b. it is a modifier of a noun in a noun phrase.

7. Representing the structure of embedded clauses NP S' DET N the cat which lives with Nellie

8. The internal structure of embedded clauses • The complementizer, or subordinating conjunction. • This constituent introduces the subordinate (or embedded) clause. • e.g. that, for, whether, whenever, while. • The actual clause follows.

9. Representing the internal structure of embedded clauses S' COMP S NP VP

10. Functions of embedded clauses • subject • That weeds had invaded the garden lowered the price. • object • The agent knew that weeds had invaded the garden. • intensive complement • It seemed that weeds had invaded the garden. • modifier of noun (relative clause) • the garden which was invaded by weeds