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Syntax: Difference between revisions
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There are many broad theories of how syntax arises, rooted in philosophical questions. What is the structure of human language? How do humans acquire language so quickly, and why do they make some kinds of mistakes but not others? And how do these theories apply to conlangs like Toaq, anyway? | There are many broad theories of how syntax arises, rooted in philosophical questions. What is the structure of human language? How do humans acquire language so quickly, and why do they make some kinds of mistakes but not others? And how do these theories apply to conlangs like Toaq, anyway? | ||
<blockquote>'''Note:''' You can [ | <blockquote>'''Note:''' You can [[Resources|learn Toaq]] without ever caring about the stuff in this article, just like you can learn English without being a linguist. But Toaq's author (and its tinkerers) like to play in the space where conlanging and Chomskyan linguistics meet. Okay, on with the show!</blockquote> | ||
== Generative grammar and loglangs == | == Generative grammar and loglangs == | ||
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[[Hoemaı]] has been working to describe Toaq's syntax with the same linguistic tools as are used to describe natural langauges, and Toaq is evolving with this goal in mind. This current description of Toaq syntax is influenced by '''X-bar theory''' and the '''Minimalist program''' — sub-theories of generativism with certain ideas about syntactic structure.<ref>The forefront of linguistic knowledge has progressed a bit beyond these theories, but they are still very adequate frameworks to serve as points of reference. (As conlangers, we can "cheat" a little and design Toaq so as to not bump into the flaws of the older, more fleshed-out systems.)</ref> | [[Hoemaı]] has been working to describe Toaq's syntax with the same linguistic tools as are used to describe natural langauges, and Toaq is evolving with this goal in mind. This current description of Toaq syntax is influenced by '''X-bar theory''' and the '''Minimalist program''' — sub-theories of generativism with certain ideas about syntactic structure.<ref>The forefront of linguistic knowledge has progressed a bit beyond these theories, but they are still very adequate frameworks to serve as points of reference. (As conlangers, we can "cheat" a little and design Toaq so as to not bump into the flaws of the older, more fleshed-out systems.)</ref> | ||
Toaq being a [[loglang]] means that we can unambiguously parse sentences into syntax trees. [[Zugaı]] is a piece of software that performs this transformation. There is similar software for [[Lojban]] called ''camxes'', but while its output is deterministic, the resulting tree is (from a linguist's perspective) quite ad-hoc and not useful for semantic interpretation. | Toaq being a [[loglang]] means that we can unambiguously parse sentences into syntax trees. [[Zugaı]] is a piece of software that performs this transformation.<ref>It is unfinished, and currently in the process of being replaced by a tool called “Kuna” for parsing Toaq Delta.</ref> There is similar software for [[Lojban]] called ''camxes'', but while its output is deterministic, the resulting tree is (from a linguist's perspective) quite ad-hoc and not useful for semantic interpretation. | ||
== Movement == | == Movement == | ||
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=== Movement in Toaq === | === Movement in Toaq === | ||
The | The tree for a sentence like {{t|Noaq jí kúe nha}} indicates an SVO deep structure: <code>jí <s>noaq</s> kúe</code>. What's going on? | ||
The generativist "verb phrase" has the verb and the object generated side-by-side. Even in VSO natural languages like Irish, there is evidence for verb-and-object VP structures. Meanwhile, there is also some evidence for verb-and-object structures in Toaq: for example, [[prepositional phrase]]s like {{t| | The generativist "verb phrase" has the verb and the object generated side-by-side. Even in VSO natural languages like Irish, there is evidence for verb-and-object VP structures. Meanwhile, there is also some evidence for verb-and-object structures in Toaq: for example, [[prepositional phrase]]s like {{t|tî kúa}}, or object-incorporating verbs like {{t|po}}. | ||
A generativist approach for analyzing a VSO language is thus that the verb and object really are side-by-side in the deep structure, and that the verb moves up to the front of the sentence for ''some'' reason.<ref>Hoemaı has suggested that there is "room for fanfic" as to why this happens in Toaq. | A generativist approach for analyzing a VSO language is thus that the verb and object really are side-by-side in the deep structure, and that the verb moves up to the front of the sentence for ''some'' reason.<ref>Hoemaı has suggested that there is "room for fanfic" as to why this happens in Toaq. Perhaps {{t|Noaq jí kúe nha}} is a bit like "Read it, I'll do that book!" — except perhaps over time it got watered down and became normal grammar with no actual focusing function.</ref> | ||
Toaq could have been designed as SVO from the start, and have a surface structure that's closer to the deep structure. There are aesthetical arguments in favor of VSO. | Toaq could have been designed as SVO from the start, and have a surface structure that's closer to the deep structure. There are aesthetical arguments in favor of VSO. For example, VSO grammar is similar to the logic notation <math>P(x,y,z)</math> for predicates and their arguments. | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XEi-Cg29gAazLwEdjWmSzBYMKiXhDE2OuSQZL2YyUuo/edit?usp=sharing ''First Steps Towards a Compositional Semantics for Toaq''] and [https://toaqlanguage.wordpress.com/2022/10/08/not-quite-a-forest/ ''Not quite a forest''], both blog posts on Toaq syntax. | * [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XEi-Cg29gAazLwEdjWmSzBYMKiXhDE2OuSQZL2YyUuo/edit?usp=sharing ''First Steps Towards a Compositional Semantics for Toaq''] and [https://toaqlanguage.wordpress.com/2022/10/08/not-quite-a-forest/ ''Not quite a forest''], both blog posts on Toaq syntax. | ||
* The refgram sections on [https://toaq.net/refgram/syntax/ Syntax] and [https://toaq.net/refgram/semantics/ Semantics]. | |||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||