INTRODUCTION

In linguistics, a transformational grammar is a generative grammar, especially of a natural language, that has been developed in the syntactic structures of phrase structure grammars (as opposed to dependency grammars). Transformational grammar is the tradition of specific transformational grammars. Much current research in transformational grammar is inspired by Chomsky in 1957. Terms such as "transformation" can give the impression that theories of transformational generative grammar are intended as a model for the processes through which the human mind constructs and understands sentences. Chomsky is clear that this is not in fact the case: a generative grammar models only the knowledge that underlies the human ability to speak and understand. One of the most important of Chomsky's ideas is that most of this knowledge is innate, with the result that a baby can have a large body of prior knowledge about the structure of language in general, and need only actually learn the idiosyncratic features of the language(s) it is exposed to. Chomsky introduced two central ideas relevant to the construction and evaluation of grammatical theories. The first was the distinction between competence and performance. Chomsky noted the obvious fact that people, when speaking in the real world, often make linguistic errors (e.g., starting a sentence and then abandoning it midway through). He argued that these errors in linguistic performance were irrelevant to the study of linguistic competence (the knowledge that allows people to construct and understand grammatical sentences). Consequently, the linguist can study an idealized version of language, greatly simplifying linguistic analysis. The second idea related directly to the evaluation of theories of grammar. The study of grammar would no longer be limited to what is said and how it is interpreted. In fact, the word grammar itself took on a new meaning. The new linguistics defined grammar as our innate, subconscious ability to generate language, an internal system of rules that constitutes our human language capacity. The goal of the new linguistics was to describe this internal grammar. This paper aims to convey the basic view of the transformational-generative grammar from early form. It will cover the three level rule based system and also the kernel sentence in transformational grammar.

Transformational-Generative Grammar

DISCUSSION
A. Historical Background This study was established by a young professor of Modern Languages at Massachusetts Institutes of Technology in 1957, and published as the basic beliefs of the language establishment and become profound effect on language studies. The professor was A. Noam Chomsky with his book entitled Syntactic Structures. In his book, Chomsky leveled major criticisms at the stucturalist approach to language study. The criticisms about the wrong assumptions of the entire stucturalist to the rejection of specific methods as their taxonomic data gathering techniques and their belief in the adequacy of discovery procedures (a procedure for discovering facts which if the procedure did not exist or to gather informations). A linguist who modified the rigid requirements of structural linguistics to make use of specific insights was Zellig Harris. He hope that the structural grammarians might find a way to classify and describe the utterances, and the linguist may extend their research in reaching theories concerning the logic (describes the use of valid reasoning in some activities) of languages regularities. Harris and his student, Noam Chomsky, had worked together to develop a phrasestructure grammar although modeled along the rigorous lines set down by the structuralist. Chomsky got his earliest training in Bloomfieldian school of structural linguistics, even his inquiring mind begun to serious misgivings about theoretical assumptions, the methods and the future possibilities. We have to understand that despite Chomsky come to his own view as structuralism but his own thinking has been much more affected by the philosophical traditional grammarians from Plato to Humboldt. Chomsky believes that the first problem in developing correct grammar is selecting criteria, and adequate grammar should be capable in producing grammatical sentences and ruling out ungrammatical ones. Chomsky illustrates as follows: 1. Colorless green ideas sleep furiously. 2. Furiously sleep ideas green colorless.

Transformational-Generative Grammar

Both sentences are unfamiliar sentences (we have never been spoken heard before), and also non sense. And the fact that the sentence has no meaning but every native speaker of English can recognize that the first sentence is grammatical English. Furthermore, Chomsky examined and evaluated two known grammar models are elementary linguistic theory and phrase structure grammar (constituent or IC grammar). Elementary linguistic theory is a simple, linear and left to right model as graphically represented following diagram:

This model can be thought of as a kind of language generated machine. Begin from the left to the right in the direction of the arrows. Each node represents a state that the machine switches to new state. The next model which Chomsky examines is phrase structure grammar. Chomsky had written a satisfactory model for an IC grammar in Syntactic Structures for a number of years. He analogize and demonstrates the language, like Mathematics which using a system in a finite numbers of rules to generate an infinite number become correct results. Examples: (3 + 4) x 10 = 70 3 + (4 x 10) = 43 The bracketing several separate constituent into a single set enlarges and change an explanation. By seeing the mathematical analogy we can explain the process in simple English sentences B. TG Grammar, Early Form: An overview Chomsky had extend the process to get more abstract linguistics facts by his two major contribution in Syntactic Structure: 1) Introducing Mathematical method of writing grammar rules; 2) Adding a third level, the transformation level to grammar theory. The model of that Generative Grammar was three level rule based system: Level I : Phrase Structure Rules Level II: Morphophonemic Rules Level III: Transformational Rules
Transformational-Generative Grammar

Level I : Phrase Structure Rules Phrase structure rules can be seen by formulating some simple model phrase-structure rules (PS rules). For example, the sentence The boy liked the dog has a set of rules as below: PS RULE INTERPRETATION OF PS RULES 1 S NP + VP Sentence (S) consist of or written as () a Noun Phrase (NP) plus a Verb Phrase (VP) 2 NP D+N A noun phrase consists of a Determiner (D) plus a Noun (N) 3 VP MV + NP A Verb Phrase consists of a Main Verb (MV) plus a Noun Phrase 4 MV T + V A main verb consist of a Tense marker morpheme (T) plus the base form of Verb (V) 5 T Past A tense morpheme consist of past 6 D the Determiner is written as the word the 7 N {boy, dog} Noun is rewritten as either the word boy or the word dog. (Brace indicate that one must be selected) 8 V Like Verb is re written as like 9 Past -ed Past is rewritten as the affix ed In order to apply the PS rule, we must begin at the top with the term Sentence and proceed toward the bottom, applying only one rule at a time. Sometimes as progress with a derivation we will necessary to go back to a previously stated rule and apply it over and over again. From the PS Grammar, only one element in the left of the arrows whereas the right of the arrows more than one, thus we called as a string. The last string after the applying all PS Rule is called a terminal string. Notice the entire derivation of the sentences below: PS RULE RESULTING STRING 1 S NP + VP NP + VP 2 NP D+N D + N + VP 3 VP MV + NP D + N + MV + NP 2 NP D+N D + N + MV + D + N 4 MV T + V D+N+T+V+D+N 5 T Past D + N + Past + V + D + N 6 D the The + N + Past + V + D + N 7 N {boy, dog} The + Boy + Past + V + D + N 8 V Like The + Boy + Past + Like + D + N 6 D the The + Boy + Past + Like + The + N 7 N {boy, dog} The + Boy + Past + Like + The + Dog 9 Past -ed The # Boy # -ed + Like # The # Dog (The double plus, #, indicates word boundaries) There twelve operations before we arrive at terminal strings:
Transformational-Generative Grammar

The # Boy # -ed + Like # The # Dog Those procedures can be covered and graphically represented by means of branching tree diagram. A node represents the element. A node is said to wholly dominate the elements which branch off from it. (e.g. NP and VP are dominated by S). S VP N T Past Terminal Strings: The Boy -ed Like MV V D NP N

NP D

The

Dog

Generative grammar rules explain every single operation performed by a speaker of English in constructing the sentences. The simplified phrase-structure rules presented here do not represent a complete phrase-structure grammar of English. We need to extend our rules in order to more accurately represent the facts of real language. Below is the modified Phrase Structure Rules : 1. S NP + VP 2. NP { } 3. NPsing (D) + N + sing 4. NPpl (D) + N + pl 5. sing 6. pl -s 7. VP MV (+Comp) 8. MV Aux + V 9. V { } 10. v { } 11. Aux T (M + ) (have + -en) (be + ing) 12. T {} 13. past -ed 14. pres ( 3, { } ( + 15. Comp + { } 16. D {the, a, an, some, } 17. N {boy, dog, man, John, book, } 18. vi {walk, run, fall, } 19. vt {like, take, give, write, } 20. vl {seem, appear, feel, remain, } 21. M {will, can, must, may, } 22. Adj {sad, good, } 23. Adv {here, there,}

Transformational-Generative Grammar

Level II : Morphophonemic Rules The function of Morphophonemic rules (M rules) are to provide instructions for converting strings of morphemes into strings of phonemes. The purpose of Morphophonemic rules (M rules) are to show how combined morphemes are pronounced, not how they are spelled. M rules are different from PS rules, in as much as more than a single element occurs to the left of the arrow: Ex: boy + -s boy + boys boy man + -s man + men man

After we have applied all of the rules from the PS level of our grammar (PS rules) and all of the rules from the M level (M rules), we will have strings like these: Ex: The # boy # -s + feel # bad The # men # -ed + like # the # books Actually, these strings are still not sentences. Therefore, to produce an actual sentence, we must turn to the third level of our generative grammar that is the transformational level.

Level III : Transformational Rules In Chomskys view, the grammar of a particular language ought to meet two conditions if it is to be an adequate theory: 1. It will have to generate only sentences which are considered acceptable by the mature native speaker. It is called external conditions of adequacy 2. It will have to do constructed according to a general theory of language structure. It is called condition of generality. Next, Chomsky considered what kind of proof is needed to permit the justification of a grammar theory. In this case, the strongest requirement is to be able to show that a theory, from a corpus of actual sentences, constitute a precise but practical method for automatically yielding a grammar describing all possible sentences of a language, i.e., it must provide a discovery procedure. The second and weaker requirement of a grammar theory is that it should provide a method for determining the best among alternate theories, i.e., that it should provide a decision procedure. The third and weakest requirement that a grammar theory should seek to do no more them provide an evaluation procedure for determining merely which among two proposed grammars is the better.

Transformational-Generative Grammar

Furthermore, based on Chomskys three-level TG grammar, the sentence derivation process can be generally outlined as follow: 1. Beginning with the abstract concept sentence, we apply all of the PS rules to construct an extended derivation. When the PS rules are exhausted, we have a terminal string whose constituents are words and morphemes. 2. Next, we apply T rules to the terminal string of the PS component of the grammar. At this point, we must perform whatever obligatory transformations are called for by the constituent structure of the string. We may or may not choose to apply one or more additional optional transformations. 3. Last, we apply whatever M rules are required to convert the string or morphemes into a string of phonemes. So, the final result is an actual grammatical English sentence. An investigation of the nature of transformations has led Chomsky to the conclusion that they are of two quite different types: obligatory transformations and optional transformations. In this case, an obligatory transformation is one which must be applied to every derivation from the PS level of the grammar if the result is to be an actual English sentence. Meanwhile, an optional transformation, on the other hand, may or may not be applied. Thus Chomsky speaks of kernel sentences and transformed sentences (also called transforms or transformational). Kernel sentences can be defined as those sentences which result from the application of obligatory T rules, and obligatory T rules only, to terminal strings of the PS grammar. Transformations are all those sentences which result from the application. The terminal strings which underlie kernel sentences can thus be said to provide the basis or kernel for all of the sentences in the language. Kernel sentences, however, are the only ones which are derived exclusively from terminal strings. In other words, based on Robert used the term basic sentences or kernel sentences as synonymous with terminal strings. Thereby, we can put all of this information in a kind of formula as follows:

Kernel Sentence =One Terminal String + One or more Obligatory Transformations Transformation =One or more Terminal Strings + One or more Obligatory Transformations + One or more Optional Transformations To illustrate what Chomskys mean, consider the passive. Passive sentences are transformed. This means we would have to include in our Auxiliary rule the possibility of (be + -en)
Transformational-Generative Grammar

Aux

T (M + ) (have + -en) (be + ing) (be + -en) For then all we need to do is to specify the kind of terminal string to which the passive

transformation rule may apply: NP1 + Aux + Vt + NP2. All other strings are thereby excluded. The Tpas rule could then read as follows: NP1 + Aux + Vt + NP2 NP2 + Aux + (be + -en) + Vt + by + NP1

C.

TG GRAMMAR, EARLY FORM: KERNEL SENTENCES Based on Chomsky, there are two fundamental processes involved in language. The first of these, which can be represented at the phrase-structure level of the grammar, is the system (rules) which speakers/hearers follow to derive the simplest sentences (kernel sentences) of their language. The second process, which is represented at the transformational level, is the system (rules) by which speakers convert or transform these basic patterns into different syntactic structures. The theory of early TG grammar, in consequence, is rooted in the idea that there are a finite number of core or kernel sentence patterns with which all native speakers become familiar. These kernel sentences are the basic elementary sentences of the language. All other sentences are then created, by means of a systematic set of transformation rules, from the terminal strings which underlie the kernel sentences. Kernel sentences can be defines as those sentences which are derived exclusively from phrase-structure rules plus a small number of obligatory transformation rules. It is from the terminal strings underlying these kernel sentences that all the other sentences of the language are then formed. Pedagogical grammarians of the early school of TG grammar theory eventually settled on eleven kernel sentence types. It is interesting to note that, with the one or two exceptions discussed below, these kernel sentence patterns are the same as those which traditional grammarians called the elementary sentences of English. For the most part, the behavior of sentences under transformation have offered verification for what had been only an intuitive judgment of the traditionalists: namely, that verb type (intransitive, transitive, linking) is significant. A kernel sentence can be defined as having the following characteristics: 1. 2. 3. 4. It is a declarative statement. It is always positive (rather than negative) Its main verb is always in the active voice, though it may be of any tense or aspect. It contains no compounds.

Transformational-Generative Grammar

5. 6.

Its word order is always normal: subject + verb (+ complements). It is spoken with normal intonation, i.e., in a normal tone of voice, progressing smoothly from beginning to end with no unusual pauses, stresses, or pitch variations.

7.

It contains no noun modifiers (other than determiners) in immediate pre-noun or postnoun position.

Here, then, are the eleven basic or kernel sentence patterns: Intransitive Verb Pattern 1. There is only one intransitive kernel sentence pattern. The sentence may consist of only two words, a noun or pronoun plus a verb or the noun may be preceded by a determiner and the verb may make use of auxiliary words. Ex: The boys ran S

NP

VP

pl

MV

Aux

T Terminal String: The boy -s -ed

vi ran

Transitive Verb Pattern 2. Because the transitive verb may be followed by four distinct types of complement, we must classify sentences containing transitive verbs into four different kernel sentence patterns. Pattern 2 consists of NPsubj + transitive verb + NPdo.

Transformational-Generative Grammar

Ex: The boy like the dog S

NP

VP

sing

MV

Comp

Aux

NP

vt

NP

sing

Terminal String: The

boy

-ed

like

the

dog

Pattern 3. Pattern 3 sentences consist of NPsubj + vt + NPio + NPdo always in that order. Not all transitive verbs suit this particular pattern: for example, He drove me the car is not an acceptable sentence. There are quite a few verbs, however, which may be used in Pattern 3 sentences (give, take, send, tell, and so on). Ex: The teacher lent the boy some books. S

NP

VP

sing

MV

Comp

Aux

NP

NP

vt

sing

pl

Terminal String:

The

teacher

-ed

lend

the

boy

some book

-s

Pattern 4. Once again, as with Pattern 3, only particular transitive verbs are suitable for this pattern. typical of such verbs are think, consider, name, elect, and so on. Pattern 4 consists of NPsubj + vt + NPdo + NPoc.

Transformational-Generative Grammar

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Ex: The boys think the girls babies. S

NP

VP

pl

MV

Comp

Aux

NP

NP

vt

pl

pl

Terminal String:

The

boy

-s

think the

girl

-s

baby

-s

Pattern 5. At first glance, Pattern 5 appears to be similar to Pattern 4, because some transitive verbs like think, call, consider, may be used in either pattern. (A verb like elect can never be used in a Pattern 5 sentence). Pattern 5 sentences consist of NPsubj + vt + NPdo + Adjoc. Ex: The movie made the boy sad. S

NP

VP

sing

MV

Comp

Aux

NP

adj

vt

sing

Terminal String: The movie -ed make the boy sad

Pattern 6. Kernel sentences of the Pattern 6 type are those which, in their kernel or basic form, look exactly like Pattern 2 sentences. These are the sentences containing a mid-transitive verb-one which cannot accept the passive transformation; and, in fact, the earliest transformational grammars missed this pattern (just as the traditionalists had before them). Pattern 6 sentences consist of NPsubj + vtm + NPdo.
Transformational-Generative Grammar

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Ex: The man had several guns. S

NP

VP

sing

MV

Comp

Aux

NP

vtm

pl

Terminal String: The man -ed have several gun -s

Linking Verb. Pattern 7. The linking verb is one which is followed by a subjective complement. Pattern 7 sentences are those which contain a linking verb (other than be) plus a noun phrase subjective complement, NPsubj + vl + NPsc. Ex: The boy became a leader S

NP

VP

sing

MV

Comp

Aux

NP

vl

sing

Terminal String:

The

boy

-ed

become

leader

Pattern 8. Pattern 8 kernel sentences consist of a noun phrase subject plus a linking verb (other than be) plus an adjective subjective complement. Verbs typically suited to this pattern are seem, feel, look. Smell, taste, sound, and so on. The pattern consists of NPsubj + vl + Adjsc.

Transformational-Generative Grammar

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Ex: The girl seems happy S

NP

VP

sing

MV

Comp

Aux

Adj

vl

Terminal String: The girl -s seem happy

Linking Verb BE Pattern 9. Because the verb be has eight separate forms (be [1], am [2], are [3], is [s], was [ed1], were [ed2], being [ing], been [en]) and therefore behaves differently at both the phrasestructure level and the transformational level. Pattern 9 sentences consist of NPsubj + be + NPsc. Ex: The girls are the winners. S

NP

VP

pl

MV

Comp

Aux

NP

pl

Terminal String:

The

girl

-s

be

the

winner

-s

Transformational-Generative Grammar

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Pattern 10. Pattern 10 kernel sentences follow the form: NPsubj + be + Adjsc. Ex: The students are smart. S

NP

VP

pl

MV

Comp

Aux

Adj

T Terminal String: The student -s 3 be smart

Pattern 11. Pattern 11 is a kernel sentence pattern which earlier grammar systems either missed altogether or simply ignored. The pattern consists of NPsubj + be + ADVsc. Ex: The boy is here. S

NP

VP

sing

MV

Comp

Aux

Adv

T Terminal String: The boy s be here

Variation of Kernel Sentences As we examine more and more actual English sentences, and as we attempt to determine which sentences are kernel and which are nonkernel, therefore, we discover we must further enlarge both our PS rules and our M rules in order to account for many sentences at the PS level of the grammar. Thus, the following phenomena must be accounted for: (D) N - NP Pro

Transformational-Generative Grammar

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Ex: We are running He hit the ball - VP MV (+ Comp) (+ Adv)

advp - Adv advt advm Ex: John walks rapidly They will go there now She loves him blindly The Modification of PS Rules as follows: V - V be vi (+ part) vt (+ part) - v vtm vl - Qualifier >> A qualifier may precede any adjective or any adverb of manner NP NP + NP Comp NP + (Q) Adj (Q) Adj Adv Advp Advt (Q) Advm

- Adv

- Determiner. D a, an, the, some, several, any, every,. - Noun. N man, boy, girl, chaos, health, wealth, riches, - Adjective. Adj bad, good, sad, beautiful, in the pink, out of sorts,. - Adverb. Advp Advt

there, here, in the room, at the store,. now, then, often, in the morning, during recess,..

Transformational-Generative Grammar

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Advm - Q

quickly, rapidly, in a minute, on the double, quite, very, more, less, much, extremely,

A revised set of phrase structure rules follows: 1. S 2. NP Pro + num sing 3. Num pl 4. 5. 6. 7. sing pl VP MV s MV (+ Comp) (+ Adv) Aux + V v be vi (+ part) vt (+ part) 9. v vtm vl T (M + ) (have + en) (be + ing) past pres ed s

NP + VP (D) N + num

8. V

10. Aux 11. T 12. past 13. pres

14. Comp

15. Adv

NP NP + NP NP + (Q) Adj (Q) Adj Adv Advp Advt (Q) Advm a, an, the, some, several, any, every,.

16. D

Transformational-Generative Grammar

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17. N 18. vi 19. vt 20. vtm 21. vl 22. M 23. Part 24. Adj 25. advp 26. advt 27. advm 28. Q

man, boy, dog, book, John, chaos, health, riches, walk, run, fall, fly, like, take, give, write, consider, make,.. have, cost, total, weigh,. seem, appear, feel, remain,... will, can, must, may, ought to,.. in, out, up, down, on, off, over, with,.. bad, good, beautiful, in the pink, out of sorts,.. there, here, in the room, at the store, now, then, often, in the morning, during recess, quickly, rapidly, in a minute, on the double, quite, very, more, much, less, extremely, absolutely,..

Transformational-Generative Grammar

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CONCLUSION
In the early of 19s century, Noam Chomsky published a book entitled Syntactic Structures. In his book, Chomsky leveled major criticisms at the structuralist approach to language study. Chomsky believes that the first problem in developing correct grammar is selecting criteria, and adequate grammar should be capable in producing grammatical sentences and ruling out ungrammatical ones. Chomsky had extend the process to get more abstract linguistics facts by his two major contribution in Syntactic Structure: 1) Introducing Mathematical method of writing grammar rules; 2) Adding a third level, the transformation level to grammar theory. The model of that Generative Grammar was three level rule based system: Phrase Structure Rules, Morphophonemic Rules, and Transformational Rules. Phrase structure rules can be seen by formulating some simple model phrase-structure rules (PS rules). Morphophonemic rules (M rules) function to provide instructions for converting strings of morphemes into strings of phonemes. Meanwhile, Transformational rule deals with the transformation of the sentences structure. In other case, we have discussed eleven basic patterns of sentences in dealing with the Intransitive verb, Transitive verb, Linking Verb and Linking Verb-Be in a sentence. The example clearly showed the rules that apply by each sentence. After we having analysis the rules we come to the last point which is the revised rules of phrase rules that will apply in analyzing the structure of a sentences. There are 28 rules that starting from the biggest part of the sentence (S) through each element becomes the terminal strings which also called as the kernel sentences.

Transformational-Generative Grammar

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