X-bar Tree

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Donbelid

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Dec 8, 2005
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English Teacher
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Persian
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Iran
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Hello everyone,
the tree structure for "the very orange kitten" is drawn like this:
the very orange.jpg

You may click on the image to enlarge it.
My question is How can I draw a tree for this one: "the paw of the kitten"

thanks in advance
 

PaulMatthews

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Your diagram looks suspiciously like it is saying that "the very orange kitten" is a determinative phrase (DP) not a noun phrase NP). Is that what you've been taught?
 

Donbelid

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Dec 8, 2005
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English Teacher
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Persian
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Iran
Current Location
Iran
Yes.
According to Andrew Carnie (Syntax, a Generative Introduction; third edition), that's a determiner phrase, apparently because it starts with a determiner.
Carnie explains that in modern x-bar theories, a sentence is presented as TP which includes a DP and a VP under a V' node. And sometimes a CP is needed under a VP, like when you say "My mother said that he helped people a lot". Here "my mother" is a DP. "that he helped…" is a CP.
By the way, my question is how to draw a tree for "the paw of the kitten"?
 
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