The Structure of Noun Phrase in Kistaninna
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1990-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This Study eXRmines the Structure of Noun Phrase in
ktstaninna in terms of the X-bar theory formulated by Jackendoff
(1977) and recent developments. This approach is a recent theoretical
innovation in the stage of grammar which falls within the general
framework of Extended Standard Theory (EST) of generative grammar.
This theory has emerged from the earlier model-i.e. Standard Theory.
In this new version, an attempt was made to decrease the
degree of abstractness, the power of transformation was decreased
and the rewrite rules of the categorial component were constrained.
Other theoretical developments such as the introduction of traces
and the new con~eption of S-Structures, etc. appeared.
Following Jackendoff (1977) the study assumes three levels
of phrasal expansions for a head noun, where a noun is a lexical
head. Accordingly, the following levels of nominals are recognized:
N(NO), N', Nil and Nil'.
} Jun is a major lexical cptegory which is found at N(NO)
level and serves as a head of NPs. This category requires certain
other maximal phrasal categories as its complement.
The study shows that the NPs are the only complements of
the derived nominals at N' level. Such complements are inseparably
linked up with the lexical category. The complements in this minimal
projection are functional arguments.
At the intermediate projection, the complements are
genitive NPs (of source~ purpose, location, time), adjectival
phrases, prepositional phrases ~nd relative clauses. All of
them are referred to as restrictive modifiers.
~he maximal projection consists of non - restrictive
modifiers as complements - i.e. appositives and some noun phrases.
Regarding the Np specifiers, it is argued that these
elements lack the potential for maximal projection. Specifier
occur with a noun head in phrasal structure in order to limit
the referential or quantitative scope of the head. They include
articles and quantifiers. Articles are found under N'l' Whereas
quantifiers are found under Nil'. In other words, they are
generated at maximal and intermediAte levels, respectively.
Description
Keywords
Kistaninna