Hi Robert,
I believe that an understanding of syntax as the mechanics of language helps in all types of communication. For example, a lot of my students struggle with expressing themselves clearly in writing -- avoiding ambiguous phrasing or making the antecedent of a pronoun clear. I think that understanding syntax gives students/communicators more flexibility to spot and therefore avoid potential ambiguities (hat tip to Mai for the GW Bush example); or at the very least, they can better understand my explanations of why their expression is unclear. I can imagine that this skill also has benefits receptively, e.g. reading more quickly or efficiently due to noticing effects and improved parsing of complex sentence structures.
This is purely anecdotal/observational based on my work with NNS.
Kate
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Prof. Dr. Katherine Gürtler
Fakultät Angewandte Natur- und Kulturwissenschaften
OTH Regensburg
Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg
Galgenbergstr. 30
93053 Regensburg
Büro D 205
Tel.: +49 941 943-1324
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
www.oth-regensburg.de
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Teaching Linguistics <[log in to unmask]> Im Auftrag von TEACHLING automatic digest system
Gesendet: Montag, 25. Januar 2021 01:02
An: [log in to unmask]
Betreff: [EXT] TEACHLING Digest - 15 Jan 2021 to 24 Jan 2021 (#2021-8)
There are 5 messages totaling 927 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Uses of syntactic analysis for non-linguists (5)
########################################################################
To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=TEACHLING&A=1
This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/TEACHLING, a mailing list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are available at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2021 20:36:44 +0100
From: Robert Fuchs <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Uses of syntactic analysis for non-linguists
Dear all
A student of mine asked what use, if any, non-linguists could make of syntax trees or, more generally, a hierarchical analysis of syntactic structure. Non-linguists also excludes (foreign) language teachers at schools.
I'd reply that a deeper understanding of language is surely beneficial to everybody who speaks that language, but I'm afraid that won't be a very inspiring answer. Any thoughts?
Thanks and best
Robert
--
Prof. Dr. Robert Fuchs (JP) | Department of English Language and Literature/Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik | University of Hamburg | Überseering 35, 22297 Hamburg, Germany | Room 07076 | https://uni-hamburg.academia.edu/RobertFuchs
<https://uni-hamburg.academia.edu/RobertFuchs> | https://sites.google.com/site/rflinguistics/
<https://sites.google.com/site/rflinguistics/>
Mailing list on varieties of English/World Englishes/ENL-ESL-EFL.
Subscribe here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/var-eng/join
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/var-eng/join>
Are you a non-native speaker of English? Please help us by taking this
short survey on when and how you use the English language:
https://lamapoll.de/englishusageofnonnativespeakers-1/
<https://lamapoll.de/englishusageofnonnativespeakers-1/>
########################################################################
To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=TEACHLING&A=1
This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/TEACHLING, a mailing list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are available at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2021 20:41:14 +0100
From: Hedvig Skirgård <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Uses of syntactic analysis for non-linguists
Perhaps it would be inspiring to have a look at the "syntax tree of the
week" tweets from Lee Murray?
https://twitter.com/MurrayLeeA
They often highlight the value of parsing, and how human brains can do it
so well even when there is ambiguity.
*Med vänliga hälsningar**,*
*Hedvig Skirgård*
PhD, Australian National University
Postdoc at Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution, Max Planck
Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Website <https://sites.google.com/site/hedvigskirgard/>
Den sön 24 jan. 2021 kl 20:37 skrev Robert Fuchs <
[log in to unmask]>:
> Dear all
>
> A student of mine asked what use, if any, non-linguists could make of
> syntax trees or, more generally, a hierarchical analysis of syntactic
> structure. Non-linguists also excludes (foreign) language teachers at
> schools.
>
> I'd reply that a deeper understanding of language is surely beneficial
> to everybody who speaks that language, but I'm afraid that won't be a
> very inspiring answer. Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks and best
>
> Robert
>
> --
> Prof. Dr. Robert Fuchs (JP) | Department of English Language and
> Literature/Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik | University of
> Hamburg | Überseering 35, 22297 Hamburg, Germany | Room 07076 |
> https://uni-hamburg.academia.edu/RobertFuchs
> <https://uni-hamburg.academia.edu/RobertFuchs> |
> https://sites.google.com/site/rflinguistics/
> <https://sites.google.com/site/rflinguistics/>
>
>
> Mailing list on varieties of English/World Englishes/ENL-ESL-EFL.
> Subscribe here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/var-eng/join
> <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/var-eng/join>
> Are you a non-native speaker of English? Please help us by taking this
> short survey on when and how you use the English language:
> https://lamapoll.de/englishusageofnonnativespeakers-1/
> <https://lamapoll.de/englishusageofnonnativespeakers-1/>
>
> ########################################################################
>
> To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=TEACHLING&A=1
>
> This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/TEACHLING, a
> mailing list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are
> available at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/
>
########################################################################
To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=TEACHLING&A=1
This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/TEACHLING, a mailing list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are available at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2021 19:44:35 +0000
From: "Kuha, Mai" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Uses of syntactic analysis for non-linguists
Some visual representation is helpful for describing sentences which are syntactically ambiguous or (seem to) have a meaning different from the one the speaker/writer intended. Such sentences sometimes interest non-linguists. For example, when George W. Bush said "Our enemies are resourceful; they never stop thinking of ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we", people on the internets traded passionate but deeply flawed syntactic analyses on a partisan basis.
Mai
--
Mai Kuha (she/her)
Department of English
Ball State University
On 1/24/21, 2:37 PM, "Teaching Linguistics on behalf of Robert Fuchs" <[log in to unmask] on behalf of [log in to unmask]> wrote:
Dear all
A student of mine asked what use, if any, non-linguists could make of
syntax trees or, more generally, a hierarchical analysis of syntactic
structure. Non-linguists also excludes (foreign) language teachers at
schools.
I'd reply that a deeper understanding of language is surely beneficial
to everybody who speaks that language, but I'm afraid that won't be a
very inspiring answer. Any thoughts?
Thanks and best
Robert
--
Prof. Dr. Robert Fuchs (JP) | Department of English Language and
Literature/Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik | University of
Hamburg | Überseering 35, 22297 Hamburg, Germany | Room 07076 |
https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Funi-hamburg.academia.edu%2FRobertFuchs&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302155838%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=DomozF6lIwK7aAMh%2BpI982mVWZE%2ByOppQbT%2Bpn1Vo7Y%3D&reserved=0
<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Funi-hamburg.academia.edu%2FRobertFuchs&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302155838%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=DomozF6lIwK7aAMh%2BpI982mVWZE%2ByOppQbT%2Bpn1Vo7Y%3D&reserved=0> |
https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsites.google.com%2Fsite%2Frflinguistics%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302155838%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=tG4luScJQuwduDhvtdXLeehitRSbZpRkOooVf32Onk8%3D&reserved=0
<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsites.google.com%2Fsite%2Frflinguistics%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302155838%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=tG4luScJQuwduDhvtdXLeehitRSbZpRkOooVf32Onk8%3D&reserved=0>
Mailing list on varieties of English/World Englishes/ENL-ESL-EFL.
Subscribe here: https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgroups.google.com%2Fforum%2F%23!forum%2Fvar-eng%2Fjoin&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302155838%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=kHNxVVJYBInoo4iUYlBpg42fzxgrK4k4q5unaL9gzPo%3D&reserved=0
<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgroups.google.com%2Fforum%2F%23!forum%2Fvar-eng%2Fjoin&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302155838%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=kHNxVVJYBInoo4iUYlBpg42fzxgrK4k4q5unaL9gzPo%3D&reserved=0>
Are you a non-native speaker of English? Please help us by taking this
short survey on when and how you use the English language:
https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flamapoll.de%2Fenglishusageofnonnativespeakers-1%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302165830%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=RLx0k%2FPIAvhjHNS9B5%2FPkocc6smHzNGg0iiuswleAAM%3D&reserved=0
<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flamapoll.de%2Fenglishusageofnonnativespeakers-1%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302165830%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=RLx0k%2FPIAvhjHNS9B5%2FPkocc6smHzNGg0iiuswleAAM%3D&reserved=0>
########################################################################
To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jiscmail.ac.uk%2Fcgi-bin%2FWA-JISC.exe%3FSUBED1%3DTEACHLING%26A%3D1&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302165830%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=6a4aUDbvZTYQeJRHTuB30B7K2m8Bgbzlr2bS0jks9kU%3D&reserved=0
This message was issued to members of https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jiscmail.ac.uk%2FTEACHLING&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302165830%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=Vp2WbYnhMxnMvlP8H86gUN%2BpMYNB3cWWo%2FGeVLWOqDo%3D&reserved=0, a mailing list hosted by https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jiscmail.ac.uk%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302165830%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=I1HEL0QcqPWLYjfjG4vYXQ5U2gl1BUtqzlfhg1X37mg%3D&reserved=0, terms & conditions are available at https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jiscmail.ac.uk%2Fpolicyandsecurity%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cmkuha%40BSU.EDU%7Cc4f4b8aa45164f16d1e508d8c09f6fc0%7C6fff909f07dc40da9e30fd7549c0f494%7C0%7C0%7C637471138302165830%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=5aqOfTmJvuMfFyCQP1Cg8bhN1YKtSRGQadHaPMJKdTQ%3D&reserved=0
########################################################################
To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=TEACHLING&A=1
This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/TEACHLING, a mailing list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are available at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2021 16:33:31 -0600
From: Jim Jones <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Uses of syntactic analysis for non-linguists
[Message contains invalid MIME fields or encoding and could not be processed]
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2021 15:11:14 -0800
From: Katie Tang <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Uses of syntactic analysis for non-linguists
I've never drawn a syntax tree for my English learners, but I definitely
give them a one step abstraction, sometimes giving them pieces of paper to
physically move around to form questions from statements, or showing them
that there's an empty space that has to get filled. I'm not quite sure this
is approved TESOL methodology but my students tell me that it's helpful.
Katie
On Sun, Jan 24, 2021 at 2:33 PM Jim Jones <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Because I have always been interested in Mathematics as well as
> Linguistics, the tree structure form of analysis has always been intriguing
> to me, even though I have not really delved into it.
>
> Topology, and Combinatorial Analysis or Combinatorics, are relevant, as is
> Decision Theory (a subfield of Business or Economics).
>
> Computer Science subfield(s) also analyze trees. I do not remember the
> name of the branch of study there.
>
> I was first introduced to Syntax as a college Linguistics major at the
> University of Chicago in the early 1980s. In 2016 I received an MA in
> Linguistics from NEIU.
>
> Jim Jones
>
> Freelance Translator and Editor
> BA and MA in Linguistics
>
> MA candidate, English Composition
>
> Editor in Chief, SEEDS at NEIU
>
> Chinese to English Language Chair of the ATA Translation Certification
>
> 1: Chinese, German, and Spanish to English
> 2: Editing, Tutoring, online contact
>
> PDF of my 9 point article Chinese Writing available.
> *From: *Hedvig Skirgård
> *Sent: *Sunday, January 24, 2021 1:41 PM
> *To: *[log in to unmask]
> *Reply To: *Hedvig Skirgård
> *Subject: *Re: Uses of syntactic analysis for non-linguists
>
> Perhaps it would be inspiring to have a look at the "syntax tree of the
> week" tweets from Lee Murray?
> https://twitter.com/MurrayLeeA
>
>
> They often highlight the value of parsing, and how human brains can do it
> so well even when there is ambiguity.
>
>
> *Med vänliga hälsningar**,*
>
> *Hedvig Skirgård*
>
>
> PhD, Australian National University
>
> Postdoc at Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution, Max Planck
> Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
>
> Website <https://sites.google.com/site/hedvigskirgard/>
>
>
> Den sön 24 jan. 2021 kl 20:37 skrev Robert Fuchs <
> [log in to unmask]>:
>
>> Dear all
>>
>> A student of mine asked what use, if any, non-linguists could make of
>> syntax trees or, more generally, a hierarchical analysis of syntactic
>> structure. Non-linguists also excludes (foreign) language teachers at
>> schools.
>>
>> I'd reply that a deeper understanding of language is surely beneficial
>> to everybody who speaks that language, but I'm afraid that won't be a
>> very inspiring answer. Any thoughts?
>>
>> Thanks and best
>>
>> Robert
>>
>> --
>> Prof. Dr. Robert Fuchs (JP) | Department of English Language and
>> Literature/Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik | University of
>> Hamburg | Überseering 35, 22297 Hamburg, Germany | Room 07076 |
>> https://uni-hamburg.academia.edu/RobertFuchs
>> <https://uni-hamburg.academia.edu/RobertFuchs> |
>> https://sites.google.com/site/rflinguistics/
>> <https://sites.google.com/site/rflinguistics/>
>>
>>
>> Mailing list on varieties of English/World Englishes/ENL-ESL-EFL.
>> Subscribe here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/var-eng/join
>> <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/var-eng/join>
>> Are you a non-native speaker of English? Please help us by taking this
>> short survey on when and how you use the English language:
>> https://lamapoll.de/englishusageofnonnativespeakers-1/
>> <https://lamapoll.de/englishusageofnonnativespeakers-1/>
>>
>> ########################################################################
>>
>> To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
>> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=TEACHLING&A=1
>>
>> This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/TEACHLING, a
>> mailing list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are
>> available at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/
>>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=TEACHLING&A=1
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
> https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=TEACHLING&A=1
>
########################################################################
To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=TEACHLING&A=1
This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/TEACHLING, a mailing list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are available at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/
------------------------------
End of TEACHLING Digest - 15 Jan 2021 to 24 Jan 2021 (#2021-8)
**************************************************************
########################################################################
To unsubscribe from the TEACHLING list, click the following link:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=TEACHLING&A=1
This message was issued to members of www.jiscmail.ac.uk/TEACHLING, a mailing list hosted by www.jiscmail.ac.uk, terms & conditions are available at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/
|
