Deep structure

Deep structure (English: deep structure ) is in the generative transformational grammar of Noam Chomsky, the term for the abstract syntactic base a phrase or sentence element, which (especially verb - argument structure information ) contains the projected from the lexicon information and semantic relations. From the rates of the surface structure (so called: surface structure ) are generated by transformations. On the one hand it is possible to form a deep structure in different surface structures (eg, active vs. passive; further below. Generative sentence formation with tree graph examples). Other hand, if different deep structures transferred to the same surface structure, there is ambiguity: for example, the sentence " The policeman saw the criminal with the binoculars " in twofold interpretable and has various deep structures:

The surface deep structure model correlates with Chomsky's and Fodor's notion of a universal grammar. They assume that the various structures and meanings of linguistic expressions are associated with a control apparatus that allows both transformations, the use of language generates and understanding. Fodor refers to the abstract base structures as the language of the mind and assumes a genetic disposition. Therefore, each person can have these language skills. Chomsky's concepts have been discussed controversially in the Linguistics Wars and varied several times ( s.Interpretative semantics).