Chapter 4 Syntax 句法学
1． What is Syntax?
Syntax studies the ntence structure of language. The term syntax came originally from Greek. It literally meant arrangement. It means that ntences are structured according to a particular arrangement of words. Well-arranged ntences are considered grammatical ntences. Grammatical ntences are formed following a t of syntactic rules.
句法学研究语言的句子结构。该术语来自希腊语，字意是排列。句子是根据一种特定的排列词的方式构成的。排列正确的句子被认为是合乎语法的句子。合乎语法的句子是根据一套句法规则构成的。句法是一个规则系统。
2. Syntax as a system of rules 句法是规则系统
Syntax consists of a t of abstract rules that allow words to be combined with other words to form grammatical ntences. A ntence is considered grammatical when it is in agreement with the grammatical knowledge in the mind of native speakers. Universally fo
und in the grammars f all human languages, syntactic rules compri the system of internalized linguistic knowledge of a language speaker known as linguistic competence.
The syntactic rules of any language are finite in number, and yet there is no limit to the number of ntences native speakers of that language are able to produce and comprehend.
句法是一个由一套数量有限的抽象规则组成的系统，句子由单词组合而成。句子的语法性是指句子的合成必须符合操本族语者头脑中的语法知识。任何一种语言的句法规则都包含了说话者的头脑中的语言知识系统（称为语言能力）。
任何语言的句法规则的数量是有限的，但说话者可以理解和表达的句子的数量是无限的。
3. The basic components of a ntence 句子的构成
A ntence is a structurally independent unit that usually compris a number of words to form a complete statement, question or command. Normally, a ntence consists of at least a subject（主语）and its predicate（谓语）which contains a finite verb or a verb ph
ra.
句子是一个结构独立和完整的语法单位，这一单位通常由一些单词组成一个完整的陈述句、问句或命令。一个句子至少包含一个主语和一个谓语，而谓语又包含一个限定动词或一个动词词组。
The referring expression（被指称的对象）, such as a person, a place, a thing, an idea, or an event, is grammatically called subject. A subject is usually a noun or a noun phra. The part of ntence which compris a finite verb or a verb phra and which says something about the subject is grammatically called predicate. A finite verb, informally called the main verb of a ntence, express existence, action or occurrence which is limited by person, number, ten and mood.
主语是指句子中被指称的对象，如人、物、事、概念等。主语通常由名词或名词词组构成。谓语是指对句子中主语进行表述或判断的部分。谓语通常由限定动词或动词词组构成。限定动词常被称为句子的中心动词，表述存在、动作或出现，限定动词送人称、数、时态和情态的限制。
4．Types of ntence 句子的类型
a) The simple ntence 简单句
A simple ntence consists of a single clau which contains a subject and a predicate and stands alone as its own ntence.
简单句由一个子句构成，该子句包含一个主语和一个谓语，且独立构成句子。
b) The coordinate ntence 并列句
A coordinate ntence contains two clau joined by a linking word called coordinating conjunction, such as “and”but””or”.
并列句包含两个子句，由and, but, or 等并列连词连接。
c) The complex ntence 复合句
A complex ntence contains two or more claus, one of which is incorporated into the o
ther. That is, the two claus in a complex ntence hold unequal status, one subordinating the other. The incorporated, or subordinate clau is normally called an embedded clau, and the clau into which it is embedded is called a matrix clau.
复合句包含两个或两个以上的子句，其中一个被并入另一个句子。复合句中两个句子的地位是不同的，一个句子从属于另一个句子。被并入或是从属的子句通常被称为子句，而包含子句的子句被称为主句。
5. The linear word order of a ntence 句子的线性词序
When a ntence is uttered or written down, the words of the ntence are produced one after another in a quence. Meanwhile, they are heard or read as arranged one after another in a quence. This quential order of words in a ntence suggests that the structure of a ntence is linear.
我们说出或写下一个句子，其中的词语是按次序一个接一个出现的。同时，对方也是一个接一个次序听到这个词语的。句子中词语的这种有次序的排列表明，句子的结构是线性的。
6. The hierarchical structure of a ntence 句子的层次结构
The superficial arrangement of words in a linear quence does not entail that ntences are simply linearly structured. Sentence structure is hierarchical in nature.
组成句子的单词表面上的线性排列并不意味着句子仅仅是线性结构的。句子实际上是有层次结构的。
7. Tree diagrams of ntence structure 句子结构树形图
The hierarchical order can be best illustrated with a tree diagram of constituent structure.
句子的层次结构可以用各组成部分的树形图来很好地说明。见课文67－70页。
In addition, the hierarchical structure of ntences can also be illustrated by using brackets and subscript labels.
另外，句子的层次结构还可以用括号和写在下角的标记来标示。见课文71页。
8. Lexical categories 词类
Words are organized into groups of lexical categories, commonly known as parts of speech. A language has major and minor lexical categories. Major lexical categories are open categories that new words are constantly added. Minor lexical categories are clod categories becau the number of the lexical items in the categories is fixed and no new members are allowed for. English has four major lexical categories and six minor lexical categories.
所有的词都有某种属性，即词性。词可以分为主要词类和次要词类。主要词类不断有新词加入，它是开放词类，而次要词类是封闭的，因为这类词的词项是固定的，不允许有新词加入。
