Clausal Syntax

- Introduction to the Course

Instructor: Gabrijela Buljan
Office: 94
Email: buljan.ffos@gmail.com

Syntax
Greek putting together
study of the rules determining the way in

which words may be combined to form larger

grammatical units
Phrases, simple sentences (clauses) and
complex sentences (sentences)

PS CS - SMS
3 branches of syntax according to size of

syntactic units they focus on:

Phrasal syntax (last semester)
Clausal syntax
Syntax of multiple sentences (next year)

Outline:
1) Course objectives
2) Learning outcomes
3) Organisation of the course
4) Course requirements and grading

 Course objectives

What are the objectives of this course?

Theoretical
Practical

Learning outcomes
What is expected that you will be able to DO
after successfully completing this course

1) Course objectives
1. Practical objectives. improving your lang. competence!
1) How do you understand these sentences?
A female customer to the salesman:
May I try on the bikini in the window?
May I try on the bikini in the window?
May I try on the bikini in the window?
Put the box on the table in the kitchen.
Put the box on the table in the kitchen
Put the box on the table in the kitchen

2) Explain the ambiguity of the following sentence.

I didnt leave the country because I was afraid of my violent husband.
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1) Course objectives
2) Theoretical :
Building your understanding of the architecture of
English at the level of clausal syntax
Why (1)?

a) Languages are organised systems

They are organised at all levels
b) The levels are interdependent

Morphosyntax Phrasal syntax Clausal syntax

Syntax of multiple sentences

thatSg dogSg

morphosyntax

dogSg

that dog over there that bit me NP

dog - sPl
thosePl dogsPl

Phrasal
syntax

[that dog over there that bit me]Subj is dangerous.Clausal

syntax

1) Course objectives
Why (2)
Your grammar courses are organised hierarchically
Each new course builds on the previous one
Good command of phrasal syntax is absolutely essential

for understanding clausal syntax

2) Learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this course you will be able to:

1) Identify the basic elements of the English clause structure, and

their possible arrangements
e.g. SVOiOd: He gave Mary a flower.
*SVOi (E):
*He gave Mary.
SVOi (C): Majka se veselila poklonu.
2) Use syntactic arguments and metalanguage in the syntactic
analysis of English clauses (indirectly, critical/logical thinking!)
What is the subject of: There is a lion in the garden.
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2) Learning outcomes:
3) Explain the syntactic ambiguity of clauses, using syntactic
principles/arguments

creating & understanding puns/linguistic jokes

[[Dont make]P [the Nazi cross]]Od
[[Dont make ]P [the Nazi]Od [cross]]Co.

Correctly apply morphosyntactic properties which govern

the internal organisation of English clauses
e.g. [No oneSgbut his own friends] [agreePl/agreesSg]
[with him].
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2) Learning outcomes: wider perspective

Personal intellectual growth
Syntax will provide you with many skills

desirable in a variety of jobs and careers:

logical thinking
communication and presentation
critical thinking

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respect for accuracy

attention to form
good grasp of the language needed to describe
language

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 Here are some of the jobs where your

syntatic competence will come in handy:

advertising
journalism
forensics

KIDS MAKE NUTRITIOUS SNACKS

EYE DROPS OFF SHELF
MILK DRINKERS ARE TURNING TO POWDER

"She will finally the seriousness of the problem recognize,"

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3) Organisation
One-period theory oriented session
One-period practical, task-oriented session
A bit of self-study, homework assignments etc

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4) Course requirements and grading

Course requirements:
1) 3 revision tests (RTs) - mandatory!
2) Attendance (you must attend 70% of classes)
You must fulfill all course requirements to get

your student book signed

i.e. you wont get your student book signed if you

fail to take one or more RTs or if you had more
unexcused absences than allowed
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4) Course requirements and grading

3 RTs (all are obligatory)
if the average of all 3 RTs is below 70% a final written exam must

be taken.
RTs will not be repeated. Late excuses for missing a RT will not be
accepted.

RT grading scale:

70-76% = 2
77-85% = 3

86-92% = 4

93-100% = 5
If you are pleased with the grade earned on the basis of
RTs alone, you dont need to take the final exam.
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4) Course requirements and grading

If the RT score is below 70% you must take the final exam. In

that case, the average of the grades (not percentages)

earned on the final and the RTs will give your final grade,

e.g. PTs = 1
Final exam: 3
Grade: 1+3/2 = 2

Very important: if you passed the course (either on the basis

of RTs alone or RTs + final exam), but you are not pleased
with the grade, you can retake the final exam (written and
oral), but only upon a formal written request and in front of a
panel of three professors (l. 70 Pravilnik o studijima i
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studiranju).