Analyzing Syntax & Semantics Textbook: A Self-Instructional Approach for Teachers and Clinicians

CHAPTER 11 Particle Movement and There Transformation

CHAPTER 11 Particle Movement and There Transformation The particle movement (prt movt) and there transformation are operations involving a rearrangement of words in basic sentences, and, in the case of there, the addition of a word. The meaning relationships in the sentence, for the most part, remain the same after the transformation. Unit 1: Particle Movement Objectives • Identify given sentences in which the particle movement transformation was applied • Identify the feature of the verb and particle needed for the particle movement transformation • State the condition(s) under which the particle movement transformation is obligatory • Differentiate particles from prepositions in given sentences • Indicate when the particle movement transformation is appropriate for given sentences The particle in a two-word verb may be shifted away from the verb to a position following the object of the verb. This operation is called particle movement. The particle movement transformation is optional in subject-verb-direct object sentences with particles, except when the direct object, the NP2, is a personal pronoun. In this case the transformation is obligatory. optional prt movt: obligatory prt movt: Mary put out the fire. Mary put the fire out. *Mary put out it. Mary put it out. In the second sentence in each pair, the prt movt transformation is used, and in the second set, the transformation is obligatory. The movement of the particle is away 102 PARTICLE MOVEMENT 103 from the verb so that it follows the noun phrase that is the object of the verb. The first set of sentences illustrates the optional use of the prt movt. In the second set, the object of the verb is the personal pronoun it; therefore, the particle must be shifted away from the verb. The particle is also shifted around demonstrative pronouns, as in Pick that up. Throw this out. The particle movement is obligatory when a reflexive pronoun is the NP2, although the use of reflexives as objects of verbs with particles does not occur as frequently as does the use of the personal pronouns. Jane let herself out. The thief turned himself over to the polic,~. I dried myself off. By way of review, note that in the sentence Mary put the fire out, out does not indicate location. Together with the verb, the two morphemes have a different meaning. Neither put nor out retains its own meaning, and the combined words put out mean extinguish. The following sentences contain examples of a word used as a particle in one instance and a preposition in the other. The word off is used in a transitive verb sentence frame in the first sentence. In the fourth sentence, off is a preposition introducing an adverbial prepositional phrase in an intransitive verb frame. There is a perceptible difference in the intonation and stress patterns of the two sentences when the particle is not moved. v +prt + NP2: prt movt: Vi + Adv: Tom / turned off / the ignition. Tom turned the ignition off. Tom / turned / off the road. *Tom turned the road off. The sentence Tom rolled the blinds down this morning has a particle movement, as can be seen by shifting the particle back with the verb-Tom rolled down the blinds this morning. In the sentence Tom rolled the barrel down the hill, this is not possible- *Tom rolled down the barrel the hill. Adverbials of manner may not be placed between a verb and a particle. However, they may occur between a verb and a preposition. V +prt + NP2 Mother hung up the clothes quickly. *Mother hung quickly up the clothes. V + prep phr John walked out the door slowly. John walked slowly out the door. 104 PARTICLE MOVEMENT AND THERE TRANSFORMATION The particles in subject-verb-object sentences are the only particles with which particle movements may occur. The verb plus particle is transitive as there is a direct object. The particle may not be shifted away from either intransitive or linking verbs. There are only a few linking verbs that pattern with particles and a limited number of intransitive verbs that pattern with particles. As there is a relatively large number of verb + particle combinations that are transitive, and these are the instances in which the particle movement is applicable, the transformation may occur rather frequently. Turn to Exercise 26 for practice in recognizing particle movement. Unit 2: There Transformation Objectives • State the conditions under which the there transformation is applicable • Indicate given sentences to which...