This is my presentation I used for my TG report in EDL 201. I hope you find it useful.

1. Transformational-
Generative Grammar

2. Transformational-Generative Grammar
• Idealized representation of the
knowledge possessed by a
native speaker of a language
(Thomas & Kintgen, 1974)

3. Transformational-Generative Grammar
T G
Arrangement Elements
Grammatical Rules

4. The Farmer in the Dell

6. Any speaker
of language
can produce
and
understand an
infinite
number of
sentences.
(Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams, 2003)

7. Features
of Syntax
(Payne, 2006)

8. Features of Syntax
1. Constituency
2. Hierarchical Structure
3. Linear Word Order
4. Syntactic Category

9. 1
Linear Word Order
1. John saw the winners.
2. The winners saw John.
A. The 2012 Olympics
B. 2012 the Olympics
C. Olympics 2012 the

10. 2
Constituency
1. [Good girls] and boys
2. Good [girls and boys]

11. Constituency
For Sale: An antique desk
suitable for lady with thick legs
and big drawers.
(Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams, 2003)

12. Memory Challenge
1. 09214182789
2. 9320608
3. 1119
4. 9780521671507
5. EDL201

13. Constituency
Example: NP
Simple: the dog
Complicated: the big black dog
that always barks at me as I try
to vainly sneak past the
junkyard on my way home
from piano lessons

14. Constituent Boundary Test
Where does the click occur?
RESULTS:
• Easy = Constituent Boundary
• Inside the Boundary = Thought of
Boundary
(Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams, 2003)

15. 3
Hierarchical Structure

16. 4
Syntactic Categories
• NP • Adj
• VP •N
•S •P
• AP • Adv
• Det • Aux
(Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams 2003)

17. Phrase/Constituent Structure Tree
or Phrase Marker
• Graphic representation
• Evaluated, Validated, and Sanctioned
by PS rules
(Payne, 2006)

18. Phrase Structure (PS) Rules
• Ways of representing idealized
patterns of constituent structure
• Specify constituent arrangement
• Recursive
(Payne, 2006 & Rowe & Levine, 2009)

19. Recursion
Repetition
=
Productivity
(Rowe & Levine, 2009)

20. Phrase Structure (PS) Rule
Example:
LABEL → CONTENTS
NP → Det N
the dog → the dog
(Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams, 2003 & Payne, 2006)

21. 1. NP → Det (AP) N (PP)
a small picture of Mary

22. Try this
• the Olympic winners on the
stage

23. 2. NP → NP Conj NP
the cat and the
dog

24. 3. VP → V (NP) (PP) (Adv) (CP)
believes that the student
knows the answer

25. Try these
• slept
• smile shyly
• fled from the house

26. 4. S → NP Aux VP
The men fled
from the
house.

27. Try these
• The boat sailed the river.
• The wind swept the kite into
the sky.

28. Transformational Rules (T-rules)
• Derive a new
structure
• Can be
optional or
obligatory
(Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams, 2003
& Rowe and Levine, 2009)

29. T-rules
1. Deletion
2. Insertion
3. Movement
4. Substitution

30. 1
Movement Transformation
• Particle
–I took off my shoes.
–I took my shoes off.
• Topicalization
–I love Kris.
–Kris, I love.

31. 2
Deletion Transformation
• Imperative
– You come here.
– Come here.
• Verb Phrase
– If he says he will study for the test, he
will study for the test.
– If he says he will study for the test, he
will.

32. 3
Insertion Transformation
• He knew she was here.
• He knew that she was here.
• *He won the race is history.
• That he won the race is history.

33. 4
Substitution Transformation
• Prominalization
–Tony thought that Tony was the
best.
–Tony thought that he was the best.

35. TG and Teaching Writing
NO to...
• Mimicking textbook sentences
• Teacher correction
YES to...
• Student’s language creativity
• Student’s judgment development
(Cleary & Linn, 1993)

36. Chomsky’s
Linguistics
Contributions
(Lester, 1973)

37. Habit Formation vs. Creativity

38. Knowledge of vs. Knowledge about

39. Universal Grammar
(Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams 2003)

40. Language Acquisition Device

41. Bibliography
Cleary, L. M., & Linn, M. D. (1993). Linguistics for teachers.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Fromkin, V., Rodman, R., & Hyams, N. M. (2003). An
introduction to language (7th ed.). Boston: Thomson,
Heinle.
Google Images. (n.d.). Google. Retrieved August 7, 2012, from
http://www.google.com.ph/imghp?hl=fil&tab=wi
Language Acquisition Device | TeachingEnglish | British
Council | BBC. (n.d.). TeachingEnglish | British Council |
BBC. Retrieved August 7, 2012, from
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-
database/language-acquisition-device

42. Bibliography
Lasnik, H., Depiante, M. A., & Stepanov, A. (2000). Syntactic
structures revisited: contemporary lectures on classic
transformational theory. Cambridge, Mass. [u.a.: MIT
Press.
Lester, M. (1973). Readings in applied transformational
grammar (2nd ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Murcia, M., & Freeman, D. (1983). The grammar book: an
ESL/EFL teacher's course. Rowley, Mass.: Newbury House.
Ouhalla, J. (1994). Introducing transformational grammar:
from rules to principles and parameters. London: E. Arnold.

43. Bibliography
Payne, T. E. (2006). Exploring language structure: a student's guide.
Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Rowe, B. M., & Levine, D. P. (2009). A concise introduction to
linguistics (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Thomas, O., & Kintgen, E. R. (1974). Transformational grammar and
the teacher of English: theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York:
Holt Rinehart and Winston.
Widdowson, H. G. (1996). Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
"facebook.com." Facebook. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Aug. 2012.
<https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=397305633656134&set=a.1640888
APA formatting by BibMe.org.