INTRODUCTION TO SYNTAX Mgr Anna Slatinsk Ph D

INTRODUCTION TO SYNTAX Mgr. Anna Slatinská, Ph. D. Course Book: Rafajlovičová, Rita. The English Sentence. 2012, Prešov. 157 s. ISBN 978 -80 -5550577 -0.

WORDS PHRASES CLAUSES SENTENCE THE SENTENCE SYNTAX WHAT IS IT ABOUT? https: //www. macmillandictionary. com/dictionary/british/sy ntax TYPES OF CLAUSES CLAUSE ELEMENTS Coordination and subordination

Complex messages phrases are combined into clauses Words are put together – phrases Phrases – clauses Clauses – put together to form sentences Clauses – Main and Dependent/Subordinate If the situation gets worse and more than 2 infected people appear, we will transfer to online teaching. WHY DO WE STUDY SYNTAX?

Communication in small and familiar situations – single words Complex messages – complex situations – complex ideas – it is more than single words WHAT IS SPECIFIC FOR COMMUNICATION IN FAMILIAR AND COMPLEX SITUATIONS IN TERMS OF SYNTAX?

For speaking – very little planning time – some kinds are planned or semi-planned Report on radio – written but spoken aloud Lectures – outline script (headlines projected) – but requires improvisation SPEAKING AND WRITING

Many types of writings require planning (essays, seminar works, research papers, books) However, personal letters and e-mails to friends – produced quickly Children learn to speak before they learn to read and write SPEAKING AND WRITING

Little planning time Voice quality Hand gestures Facial expressions (non-verbal communication) THE SYNTAX OF SPONTANEOUS SPOKEN LANGUAGE

She doesn´t say much – knows a lot though. (typical of speech) Although she does not say much, she knows a lot. (typical of writing) However, syntax of spontaneous speech is not degraded to speakers with the minumum of formal education! SOME DIFFERENCES IN SPOKEN AND WRITTEN SYNTAX

Difficult to say Where does it begin and end? (when doing recordings of spontaneous speech) Sentence – appers to be a unit developed formal writing (capital letter, full stop) A subject, predicate other sentence elements (O, A, Co, Cs) WHAT IS A SENTENCE?

Syntax – syntactic structures Learnt at school We have got a choice to use a simple language in speech or complex language at i. e. school, at work. . . Situation-dependent SYNTAX

We use specific syntactic structures, specific for different genres Language of literary criticism, language of football reports SPECIFICS OF SYNTAX REGARDING DIFFERENT GENRES

Standard ones – used in education, broadcasting, government structures. . . non-standard varieties – at home, in shops. . . No clear dividing line exists! Some structures – typical for speech, others just for writing (or combined) You are test positive for COVID-19. Who did you travel with? (speech, writing) With whom did you travel? (mainly in formal writing) STANDARD AND NONSTANDARD VARIETIES

Knowledte of how to construct sentences – important for L 2 speakers Common mistakes: Too long sentences, complex phrases at the beginning SYNTAX

Not fixed or static entity Language is a process Languages change Even the meaning of existing words can be changed (extended) New words and meanings appear (sharenting) LANGUAGE EVOLVES LIKE IDENTITY

Humans need syntax to compose complex messages Messages – meaning The organization of syntax is not entirely arbitrary e. g. phrases – the head plus modifiers Adjectives precede the head noun. . . WHAT IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF SYNTAX GOOD FOR?

Language is at the centre of human societies Crucial part in organization of social activities From government to home It requires complex language and thus syntax TO SUM UP: