Methodology of TGG
The description of sentences in TGG is based on the operation of several types of rules which constitute the components of grammar. It is important to note that there are differences between the two versions of TGG, the Classical Theory of 1957 and the Standard Theory of 1965, in the types, the number, the status and the order of components.
1. The Classical Theory
1.2. Transformational Rules
Transformational rules operate on the output of PS rules: they depend on the application of PS rules. Such rules do not involve the division of sentences into smaller units, but the alteration or rearrangement of a structure in various ways. They convert one string into another, or we say they “derive” one structure from another and assign to it another P-marker. TRs are more heterogeneous and more complex than PS rules. TRs take the following form: A+B+C+D+E --------- a+b+c+d+e (a string of elements appears on the left of the arrow, and another on the right). TRs have many types.
- Affix hopping (affix shift/ flip-flop transformation)
This rule places affixes (endings/ inflections, like tense, en, ing )in the position to which they belong
- Negative transformation
This rule places “not” after the tense and the first element of the auxiliary
- Yes-No question transformation
This rule takes the tense and the first element of the auxiliary and moves them to the front of the string.
- Do-insertion transformation
This rule inserts “do” after tense in some negative and interrogative sentences.
- The contraction transformation
This rule attaches the contracted negative (n’t) to the element that proceeds “not”. It is applied after affix hopping.
- The passive transformation
It changes the position of NPs, adds (be+en) before the main verb and it introduces “by” in the surface structure before the second NP.
- The particle movement (permutation)
This rule changes the place of the particle in two-constituent verbs to the right of the object.
- Indirect object movement
This rule changes the position of the indirect object to the end of sentence and inserts “to” or “for” before it.
- The restrictive clause transformation.
This rule replaces the NP in the embedded sentence which is identical to an NP in the matrix sentence by a relative pronoun and moves it to the front of S2
- The infinitive transformation
This rule changes S into a (to-infinitive)