Grammar analysis Ling 430

Learning Goal: I’m working on a linguistics project and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.

English Analysis

Discription: When we analyze grammar, we begin by labeling grammatical structures within a language sample. Then, we study the structures to uncover grammatical patterns. In this assignment, we will analyze the linguistic patterns that emerge in the story Flossie and the Fox as Patricia McKissack weaves together her two dialects of English: Standard American English (SAE) and an African American English (AAE) dialect of the rural south.

PART 1: Determiners

Below is the opening passage of the book, “Flossie and the Fox,” by Patricia McKissack. (1) Locate each NP and put brackets around it. (2) Highlight each determiner in the passage and indicate which head noun it points to. (3) Label which type of determiner you have found. (4) If you find more than one determiner in an NP, indicate which is a predeterminer, central determiner, or post determiner. (5) Using your labels, analyze the way determiners are used in the opening passage. (For example, are new characters and objects introduced using the type of determiners described in our textbook? If not, why do you think this is? If more than one determiner is found in a single NP, do they fit the pattern for pre, central and post determiners described in our class? Explain.)

“The sound of Big Mama’s voice floated past the cabins in Sophie’s Quarters, round the smokehouse, beyond the chicken coop, all the way down to Flossie Finley. Flossie tucked away her straw doll in a hollow log, then hurried to answer her grandmother’s call.”

PART 2: Verb Inflections

As McKissack weaves together her English dialects, we can hear changes in the verb forms she chooses. In our textbook, English Grammar: A Human Behavior, by Anita Barry, we learn that SAE has five inflectional forms on its verbs; in particular, the past tense and past participle forms are often irregular and differ from one another. Barry continues her discussion by pointing out that many spoken dialects of English have regularized this inflectional system; it is common for all present tense verbs as well as many of the irregular verbs to appear in the bare infinitive form in spoken English dialects. In this section of our analysis, we are going to analyze the inflectional forms of verbs that McKissack uses while blending together her two dialects.

To begin, (1) fill out the following tables to indicate some inflectional verb forms in SAE. The first one has been done for you:

to do

3rd person singular present	does
past tense	did
past participle	done

to say

3rd person singular present
past tense
past participle

to love

3rd person singular present
past tense
past participle

to turn

3rd person singular present
past tense
past participle

to come

3rd person singular present
past tense
past participle

to commence

3rd person singular present
past tense
past participle

Now consider the following quotes, taken from the story Flossie and the Fox. (2) Label the inflectional form on the verbs in bold; if no inflection is on the verb, label it as the bare infinitive. (3) Using the data provided here, what pattern best describes when the author uses the bare infinitive form of a verb as opposed to when she chooses inflectional forms common to SAE?

1. “Take these to Miz Viola over at the McCutchin Place,” she say.
2. Then she turned and say, “I aine never seen a fox before.”
3. “But one thing for sure, that rascal loves eggs.”
4. Flossie commenced to skip along, when she come upon a critter she couldn’t recollect ever seeing.
5. “That don’t prove nothing, ‘cep’n both y’all be cats.
6. “That still don’t make you no fox.”

Now, read the following excerpt, also taken from Flossie and the Fox. (4) Label the inflectional forms of the verbs in bold. (5) Is this passage in SAE or AAE dialect; how can you tell?

Long about that time, Flossie and the fox came out of the woods. Flossie cupped her hands over her eyes and caught sight of McCutchin Quarters and Miz Viola’s cabin. Fox didn’t notice a thing; he just followed behind Flossie, begging to be believed.

PART 3: Gerunds and Participle Phrases

The following excerpt uses many -ing suffixes. Some of these -ing suffixes are used to form the gerund, while others form participle phrases. (1) Label the gerunds and participle phrases. (2) Based on the evidence you find here, does this dialect of English have dangling participles? Explain your response.

1. “Here I am, Big Mama,” Flossie said after catching her breath. It was hot, hotter than a usual Tennessee August day.
2. Big Mama stopped sorting peaches and wiped her hands and face with her arpon. “Take these to Miz Viola over at the McCutchin Place,” she say reaching behind her and handing Flossie a basket of fresh eggs…
3. “Why come Mr. J.W. can’t catch the fox with his dogs?” Flossie asked, putting a peach in her apron pocket to eat later.

Rubric

Some Rubric (1)

Some Rubric (1)

Criteria	Ratings	Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart One: DeterminersDeterminers are labeled accurately for type and position before a noun.		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart One: DeterminersHeads of NPs are located and labeled correctly.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart One: DeterminersNPs are located and labeled using appropriate bracket structure.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart One: DeterminersThe determiner system used in this passage is compared to the system for determiners we learned about in class. The discussion points out the article system as well as rules for pre, central, and post determiners we discussed in class.		10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart 2: Verb InflectionsSAE verb inflection tables are filled out accurately.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart 2: Verb InflectionsInflectional forms of bolded verbs in sentences A-F are labeled accurately.		10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart 2: Verb InflectionsA pattern that accurately describes the author’s choices between the bare infinitive versus an inflected verb form is clearly stated.		10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart 2: Verb InflectionsVerb inflections are labeled accurately for the last paragraph given in Part 2.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart 2: Verb InflectionsThe dialect used in the last paragraph of Part 2 is accurately identified.		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart 3: Gerunds and Participle PhrasesGerunds are accurately identified and labeled.		10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart 3: Gerunds and Participle PhrasesParticiple phrases are identified and labeled correctly.		10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePart 3: Gerunds and Participle PhrasesAnalysis of dangling participles in this dialect provides evidence that the student understand what a dangling participle is, and can determiner, based off of the data given, whether they are grammatical in this particular dialect of English.		10 pts
Total Points: 100