Download - VISL

4.2.5. The syntactic structure of groups (P4)
In the VISL system, GROUPS (g) are characterized by an obligatory HEAD
(H) and one or more DEPENDENTS (D). Thus my former roommate is an
Od:g which can be further analyzed as D:pron + D:adj + H:n. The name of the
group is determined by the word class to which the head belongs:
o
o
o
o
o
o
noun group (my former roommate) (D:pron + D:adj + H:n)
verb group (may be sleeping) (D:v + D:v + H:v)
adjective group (very beautiful) (D:adv + H:adj)
adverb group (rather surprisingly) (D:adv + H:adv)
pronoun group (some of the books) (H:pron + D:g)
preposition group (on the table) (H:prp + D:g)
NB: a preposition group is always BINARY - that is, it always consists of
exactly two constituents: a preposition, which functions as the HEAD, and the
remainder, which functions as the DEPENDENT. Here are some examples:
o
o
o
o
o
in Spain (H:prp + D:n)
to my brother (H:prp + D:g)
near the little red schoolhouse (H:prp + D:g)
from whatever source you choose (H:prp + D:cl)
in the middle of the night (H:prp + D:g)
4.2.6. The syntactic structure of paratagms (P5)
In the VISL system, PARATAGMS (par) are characterized by a CO-
ORDINATOR (CO) and one or more CONJOINTS (CJT). Thus Peter and
Alfred is an Od:par which can be further analyzed as CJT:n + CO:conj +
CJT:n.
4.2.7. The syntactic structure of clauses (P6)
In the VISL system, CLAUSES are characterized by the presence of two or
more functions from a list we refer to as SPOAC + SUB:
o
o
o
o
o
o
S = Subject
P = Predicator
O = Object
A = Adverbial
C = Complement
SUB = Subordinator
page 30
John M. Dienhart