Course Code 科目編號：LING 2005 第 二 頁(共 三 頁) Page 2 of 3
CUHK Student ID: ________________________
Q1. [Attention: In this question, you don’t need to assume X’ structure.]
Three tree structures have been proposed for the underlined string in the sentence “John may
crazily drive the car drunk”.
| Tree 1a | Tree 1b | W1 | |
| U1 | |||
| ei | 3 | ||
| U2 | A drunk |
Adv crazily |
W2 |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| Adv | U3 | W3 | A |
| crazily 3 | 3 drunk | ||
| V | U4 | V | W4 |
| drive | 5 the car |
drive 5 | |
| the car |
Tree 1c
Y1
qp
| Adv crazily |
Y2 | |
| w|o | ||
| V | Y3 | A |
| drive | 5 drunk the car |
a. Suppose you are asked to show that Tree 1b (but not Tree 1a or 1c) is the correct representation of
the underlined string. What is/are the critical string(s) of words that you want to apply constituency
tests to in order to differentiate Tree 1b from Tree 1a and 1c? Briefly explain why the node(s) is/are
critical to the analysis. (10%)
b. Apply three constituency tests to each of the node(s) you suggest to test in Part (a). Just write down
the test sentences. You do not need to provide the grammaticality judgment. (10%)
Q2. What is a syntactic head? Discuss properties of a syntactic head using the category of prepositions
as an example. [No more than 160 words] (16%)
Q3. Why is subject-auxiliary inversion in wh-questions considered to be a case of movement?
Illustrate your answer with examples. You may include a tree diagram, if it helps. However, tree
drawing is not a must. [No more than 160 words] (16%)
Course Code 科目編號：LING 2005 第 三 頁(共 三 頁) Page 3 of 3
Q4.
In this question, please assume the following definitions:
• Principle A: An anaphor a must be bound in the smallest XP with a subject that contains a.
• Principle B: A pronoun b must not be bound in the smallest XP with a subject that contains b.
• Principle C: An R-expression must not be bound.
a Consider the sentence in (1). [Note: English speaker’s judgment is not provided in (1).]
(1) That Johni considered himselfi intelligent damaged hisi reputation.
Draw the X-bar tree structure for (1). Indicate all movements with arrow. (12%)
b Explain whether the Binding Theory predicts (1) to be grammatical or not. Your answer should
discuss whether the three underlined DPs have violated the relevant principles. (12%)
Q5. a Based on what you learned about the island constraints, do the following: (15%)
| (A) (B) (C) |
Indicate the interpreted position of the underlined phrases with “___”; Determine whether (2)—(6) are grammatical. IF the sentence violates any island constraint, (i) state the specific island constraint violated, and (ii) indicate the island structure using a pair of square brackets “[ ]”. |
(2) Where did John claim at the police station that the intruder put the knife?
(3) Which song do you think John sang before Mary arrived?
(4) That dish, we want to know whether John recommended and ordered.
(5) Who hated the candidate who arrived late?
(6) London, I suggest that if you are visiting, you should go to the British Museum.
b Discuss why syntacticians consider island constraints to be not just a property of English
wh-questions but a more general phenomenon. Illustrate your answers with examples.
(9%)
~ END ~
Have a great summer!
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