EL3209 Language, Culture, and Mind/BZM

Lecture 3: English NPs/Data sheet

27 August 2014

Do some analysis of English NPs. You dont need to submit the answers, but be prepared as we
familiarize ourselves with some structural notions concerning the analysis of NPs. You can
access Huddleston & Pullum online. Try to analyze the materials based on your understanding. If
you are ambitious, you can attempt the NPs of Chinese and Baba Malay. It could be fun coming
up with a set of NP rules on your own.


1. The following are copied from the NUS website. Pick out the NPs, and determine their
structures. You can do a lot of linguistics on the English NPs based on the passage.

The Student Life Fair, put up by the NUS Students Union, showcased the buzz and wide-
ranging activities of campus life. Booths run by different NUS Faculties, Schools, clubs,
societies and halls of residence attracted attendees with their exhibits and demonstrations.
Some featured stimulating hands-on programmes, including the creation of new food
flavours with various chemicals.
A magic show kicked off the stage presentations in the middle of Town Green, much to
the delight of children who responded with excited squeals. This was followed by games
where participants tried to outdo each other in a bid to win prizes. NUS musical talents, the
Lorong Boys, performed from a wide repertoire of classical and popular music. As dusk
descended, picnickers lazed on mats laid out on the Green spellbound by Disneys award-
winning animated movie Frozen.


2. The passage below is in Chinese. Can you do the same?

10
Li Zongli kending tixiao guoqu 10 nian de chengjiu
Li Premier recognize sport-school past 10 year DE achievement
Premier Li recognized the sport schools past-10 yearss achievement.


biaoshi jiang chengli weiyuanhui dui tixiao jingxing zhanlue jiantao
express will set-up committee to sport-school carry strategy review
Expressed that a committee will be set up to carry out strategic review of the sport-school


yi yingfu buduan bianhua de da huanjing
to respond unbroken change DE big environment
to respond to ever-changing big environment.

3. Here are a few lines of Black Beauty translated into Baba Malay. Provide an analysis of NPs.

Satu hari bila kita ada tendang menendang, mak saya panggil sama saya pergi dekat
one day when we have about kick mom I call same me go near

sama dia, dia kata, saya mahu lu dengar apa saya mahu cakap sama lu.
same her she say, I want you hear what I want say with you.

Ini kuda-kuda yang tinggal di sini ada baik punya kuda, tapi dia-orang bangsa
this horses that stay in here have good of horse, but their race

tarik kereta punya kuda, dan sebab ini dia-orang tak tahu adat.
pull carriage of horse, and because this they not know rule.

Lu punya bangsa tak sama dia-orang punya bangsa.
you of race not same their of race.

Lu punya bangsa baik, dan lu punya bapa punya nama
you of race good, and you of father of name

banyak masyhur di dalam ini negeri.
a lot famous at in this country