Syntactic relations

Syntactic roles are the roles that constituents play inside a syntactic structure. The UNL^arium framework follows the X-bar approach and proposes six main syntactic roles:

• HEAD is the nucleus or the source of the whole syntactic structure, which is actually derived (or projected) out of it. In the UNL^arium framework, there are 8 possible heads:
  • N = nouns and nominals
  • J = adjectives and adjectivals
  • V = full verbs and verbals
  • A = adverbs and adverbials
  • P = adpositions (prepositions, postpositions, circumpositions)
  • I = auxiliary verbs
  • D = determiners
  • C = complementizers (conjunctions)
• COMP (i.e., complement) is an internal argument, i.e., a word, phrase or clause which is necessary to the head to complete its meaning (e.g., objects of transitive verbs);
• ADJT (i.e., adjunct) is a word, phrase or clause which modifies the head but which is not syntactically required by it (adjuncts are expected to be extranuclear, i.e., removing an adjunct would leave a grammatically well-formed sentence);
• SPEC (i.e., specifier) is an external argument, i.e., a word, phrase or clause which qualifies (determines) the head;
• XB (intermediate projection) is any of the intermediate structures projected out of the head; and
• XP (maximal projection) is the most comprehensive structure projected out of the head.

These general roles are further specified according to the eight possible syntactic heads as follows:

Examples

• complement of the head of an adverbial phrase (AC): contrarily [to popular belief]
• specifier of the head of an adverbial phrase (AS): [nearly] always
• complement of the head of a complementizer phrase (CC): if [John comes]
• specifier of the head of a complementizer phrase (CS): [even] if
• specifier of the head of a determiner phrase(DS): [almost] every
• complement of the head of an inflectional phrase (IC): will [kiss Peter]
• specifier of the head of an inflectional phrase (IS): [Mary] will (kiss Peter)
• adjunct to the head of an adjective phrase (JA): beautiful [to see]
• complement of the head of an adjective phrase (JC): loyal [to the queen]
• specifier of the head of an adjective phrase(JS): [very] loyal
• adjunct to the head of a nominal phrase (NA): [beautiful] table
• complement of the head of a nominal phrase (NC): construction [of Babel]
• specifier of the head of a nominal phrase (NS): [the] construction
• complement of the head of a prepositional phrase (PC): under [the table]
• specifier of the head of a prepositional phrase (PS): [right] under
• adjunct to the head of a verbal phrase (VA): loved [desperately]
• complement of the head of a verbal phrase (VC): loved [Mary]
• specifier of the head of a verbal phrase (VS): [never] loved

Further information

For further information on the syntax approach of the UNL^arium refer to X-bar.