Functional Grammar

Kees Hengeveld
University of Amsterdam
ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 16-03-
2005
 Contents
Functionalism and Functional Grammar
Basic units of analysis
Layering
Arguments in favour of layering

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 2

Functionalism and Functional
Grammar
 Formalizing functionally

Formalizing Non-
formalizing
Autonomous A B
Functional C D

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 4

 Formalizing functionally

Formalizing Non-
formalizing
Autonomous GG
Functional FG SFG

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 5

 Functional explanations
communicative functionality
e.g. deictic center, disambiguation
cognitive functionality (processing)
e.g. complexity and word order

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 6

 Functions and categories
What is old in an old man ?
What is very old in a very old man ?
What is the very old man in The very old man
went home

Functions: predication, reference,

modification
Categories: verb, noun, noun phrase

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 7

Basic units of analysis
 Semantic constituents

Predicative Predicate

Referential Obligatory Argument

Optional Satellite

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 9

 Predicate frames
GiveV (x1)Ag (x2)Pat (x3)Rec

- Class
- Valency
- Semantic functions

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 10

 All lexemes predicate
reddenV (x1)Proc
redAdj (x1)
carpenterN (xi)
intelligentA (xi)
brotherN (x1) (x2)Ref

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 11

 Terms
(xi: Lex (xi)SF: Lex (xi)SF)

an intelligent carpenter

(xi: carpenterN (xi): intelligentA (xi))

xi:
carpenterN (xi)
intelligentA (xi)

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 12

 Predications
Lex (xi: Lex (xi))SF

The carpenter is intelligent.

intelligentA (xi: carpenterN (xi) )

intelligentA (xi: )
xi:
carpenterN (xi)

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 13

 Predication: example
The intelligent carpenter was reading an interesting book

Predicate frames:
carpenterN (xi)
bookN (xi)
intelligentA (xi)
interestingA (xi)
Terms: (xi: carpenterN (xi): intelligentA (xi))
(xj: bookN (xj): interestingA (xj))

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 14

 Predication: example
The intelligent carpenter was reading an interesting book

Predicate frames:
readV (x1)Ag (x2)Pat
Terms: (xi: carpenterN (xi): intelligentA (xi))
(xj: bookN (xj): interestingA (xj))
Predication:
readV (xi: carpenterN (xi): intelligentA (xi))Ag
(xj: bookN (xj): interestingA (xj))Pat

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 15

Layering
 Layers: nesting
Clause Structure (semantically based):
(1 f1) (x1)
(2 e1: [ (1 f1) (x1)] (e1))
(3 p1: [ (2 e1: [ (1 f1) (x1)] (e1))] (p1))

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 17

 Layers: entity types

0 (fi) property or relation

applicability
1 (xi) individual, ensemble
existence
2 (ei) state of affairs
reality
3 (p) propositional content
truth

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 18

 Operators
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1: .. (f1)) (x1)] (e1))] (p1))

3 Proposition operators: Validity of the

propositional content
2 Predication operators: Setting of the state
of affairs
1 Predicate operators: Modification of the
internal structure of the state of affairs

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 19

 Satellites
(p1: [(e1: [(f1: .. (f1): 1 (f1))) (x1)] (e1): 2 (e1))] (p1): 3 (p1))

3 Proposition satellites: Validity of the

propositional content
2 Predication satellites: Setting of the state
of affairs
1 Predicate satellites: Modification of the
internal structure of the state of affairs

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 20

Arguments in favour of layering
Semantics: scope relations
Typology: morpheme order
Historical linguistics: diachronic change
Acquisition: language development
Subordination

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 21

 Scope relations: 1
He must go (dynamic deontic)
He must be ill (stative epistemic)
He must have gone (epistemic
stative)

Conclusion: Perfect affects dynamicity

of state-of-affairs and therefore must be
a 1-operator.

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 22

 Scope relations: 1- 2
He is going
He was going
He will be going

Conclusion: Progressive can occur in all

tenses and therefore must be within the
scope of tense operators

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 23

 Scope relations: 2- 3
He must be home
*He does not must be home
*He mustnt be home
He must not be home

Conclusion: Evidential modality cannot

occur within the scope of negation and
therefore must have a wider scope

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 24

 Morpheme order
Morpheme order (Bybee 1985):

3 2 1 Stem 1 2 3
1. Aspect
2. Tense
3. Mood

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 25

 Morpheme order

Morpheme order (Hengeveld 1989):

3 2 1 Stem 1 2 3
1. Aspect/Participant oriented modality
2. Tense/Realis-Irrealis/Quantification
3. Evidentiality

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 26

 Morpheme order : Turkish
Anl-y-abil-ecek-mi-im.
understand-y-ABIL-IRR-INFER-1.SG
'I gather that I will be able to understand.'

stem 1 2 3
Anl-y-abil-ecek-mi-im.
understand-y-ABIL-IRR-INFER-1.SG
'I gather that I will be able to understand.'

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 27

Morpheme order: Turkish

Stem 1 2 3
1. Participant oriented modality
2. Realis-Irrealis
3. Evidentiality

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 28

Morpheme order: Hidatsa and
English
Wra i apaari ki stao ski.
tree it grow INGR PAST CERT
The tree must have begun to grow.

The tree must have begun to

grow.
the treeCERT PAST INGR to grow
The tree must have begun to grow.

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 29

Morpheme order: Hidatsa and
English
*Wra i apaari stao ki ski
tree it grow PAST INGR CERT
The tree must have begun to grow.

*The tree has must begun to

grow
the treePAST CERT INGR togrow
The tree must have begun to grow.

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 30

Morpheme order: Hidatsa and
English
stem 1 2 3
Wra i apaari ki stao ski
tree it grow INGR PAST CERT

3 2 1 stem
The tree must have begun to
grow
the treeCERT PAST INGR to grow

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 31

 Satellite order
She danced beautifully (1)
She danced beautifully (1) recently (2)
She certainly (3) danced beautifully (1)
recently (2)

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 32

 Satellite order
She certainly (3) danced beautifully (1)
recently (2)

3 predicate 1 2

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 33

 Diachronic change
Diachronic developments follow the
direction: 1 > 2 > 3

The history of will

Phase 1: Intention, Obligation (Participant
oriented modality: level 1)
Phase 2: Future (Tense: level 2)
Phase 3: Possibility, Prediction (Evidential
modality: level 3)

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 34

 Language development
Operators tend to be acquired in the
order: 1 > 2 > 3

The acquisition of Turkish TMA:

Phase 1: Durative Aspect (Aspect: level 1)

Phase 2: Past Tense (Tense: level 2)
Phase 3: Inferential (Evidentiality: level 3)

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 35

 Subordinate clauses in FG

Embedded predicate (e.g. aspectual verb):

(1 f1)
Embedded predications (e.g. complement of verb of wanting):
(2 e1: [ (1 f1) (x1)] (e1))
Embedded proposition (e.g. complement of verb of
knowledge)
(3 p1: [ (2 e1: [ (1 f1) (x1)] (e1))] (p1))

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 36

 Internal and external structure
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1: BelieveV (f1)) (x1)Exp
(p1)Go] (e1))] (p1))

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 37

 Internal and external structure
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1: BelieveV (f1)) (x1)Exp
(p1)Go] (e1))] (p1))

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 38

 Internal and external structure
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1: BelieveV (f1)) (x1)Exp
(p1)Go] (e1))] (p1))

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 39

 Internal and external structure
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1: BelieveV (f1)) (x1)Exp
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1) (x1)] (e1))] (p1))Go]
(e1))] (p1))

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 40

 Internal and external structure
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1: BelieveV (f1)) (x1)Exp
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1) (x1)] (e1))] (p1))Go]
(e1))] (p1))

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 41

 Internal and external structure
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1: BelieveV (f1)) (x1)Exp
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1) (x1)] (e1))] (p1))Go]
(e1))] (p1))

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 42

 Complement clauses
Semantic classification
Predictions with respect to the
possibility of expressing operator and
satellite positions within complement
clauses
Predictions with respect to formal
correlations

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 43

 Expressibility of operators and
satellites
Embedded predicate
(1 f1)
*He started to have sung
Embedded predications
(2 e1: [ (1 f1) (x1)] (e1))
*He wanted to maybe start to sing

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 44

 Expressibility of operators and
satellites
Embedded proposition
(3 p1: [(2 e1: [(1 f1) (x1)] (e1))] (p1))
*He believes that he frankly can win

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 45

 Formal correlations
Sententiality Hierarchy: f > e > p

The use of dependent verb forms decreases

from left to right on the hierarchy

The use of independent verb forms

increases from left to right on the
hierarchy

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 46

 Verb forms
Dependent: A dependent verb form is one
which is used in subordinate constructions
only
Independent: An independent verb form is
one which may be used in main clauses

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 47

 English complement clauses
p-complement:
Sheila believed that Peter was ill
(independent)
Sheila believed Peter to be ill (dependent)
e-complement
Sheila wanted Peter to leave (dependent)
f-complement
Sheila began to leave (dependent)

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 48

Typology (complement clauses)

Language (f) (e) (X)

Greek - - -
Armenian + +/- -
Danish + +/- +/-
Finnish + +/- +/-

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 49

Early Modern Irish (Genee 1998)
do-b ferrlemuindtir Macametuis
do-COP:PST better:NOM with folk:ACC Mohamed:GEN
[cofaghbad an dithrebachbas]
that get:FUT2:SG3 ART hermit:NOM death:ACC
Mohameds people prefered that the hermit should die.
is ferrlimm
COP:PRS better:NOM with:SG1
[a iarridh ort anoss]
itsrequest:VN:NOM of:SG2 now
I would prefer to ask it of you now.

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 50

 Diachrony: Irish

OI MiI EMoI

p-complement 13% 30% 38%

e-complement 82% 85% 96%

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 51

 Diachrony: Irish

OI MiI EMoI

p-complement 13% 30% 38%

e-complement 82% 85% 96%

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 52

 Diachrony: Irish

OI MiI EMoI

p-complement 13% 30% 38%

e-complement 82% 85% 96%

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 53

 Synchrony: Old Irisch

OI MiI EMoI

p-complement 13% 30% 38%

e-complement 82% 85% 96%

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 54

 Synchrony: Middle Irish

OI MiI EMoI

p-complement 13% 30% 38%

e-complement 82% 85% 96%

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 55

Synchrony: Early Modern Irish

OI MiI EMoI

p-complement 13% 30% 38%

e-complement 82% 85% 96%

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 56

Irish: Diachrony and Typology

OI MiI EMoI

p-complement 13% 30% 38%

e-complement 82% 85% 96%

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 57

 Operators, satellites,
subordination
(Inf pi: [he is home] (pi))
He must be home.
(pi: [he is home] (pi): apparentlyAdv (pi))
Apparently he is home.
SeemV (pi: [he is home] (pi))
It seems that he is home.

ACLC Functional/Generative Grammar, 58