Transformational Generative Grammar (meaning, sentence, analysis, quote)

[Coldjensens]

I took this class in College.

I got an A+

I cannot even rememebr what it is. Does anyone know what it is? (I guess I did not retain much from that class).

Just curious. I remember the name of the class, but nothing about what it was about. It bugs me.

[Bunjee]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

I took this class in College.

I got an A+

I cannot even rememebr what it is. Does anyone know what it is? (I guess I did not retain much from that class).

Just curious. I remember the name of the class, but nothing about what it was about. It bugs me.

Oh, wow. This goes way back for me too. I remember it as Transformational Generative Syntax. IIRC, it's the analysis of how one set of units of meaning can combine and transform almost infinitely into new meanings. I vaguely recall some really daunting formulas.

[figmalt]

I've tried very hard to blot syntax, tree-structures, and Chomsky from my mind

It mostly refers to deep structure and surface structure--deep structure being what a sentence is before it undergoes transformation to the surface structure, or what we produce. This is how we get 'wh-' questions. Deep structure suggests that a 'wh-' question originates as something like this: "The girl wants what," but through transformation and 'do-' insertion, the surface structure is this: "What does the girl want?"

The theories and models have changed over the years, and every professor has their own take on it. Wikipedia has some pretty good info if you want a refresher.