PUBLICATION JOURNAL A Syntactic Analysis Of Verb Phrase Used In The Horse Dealer’s Daughter Story By D.H. Lawrence (Using X-Bar Theory).

A SYNTACTIC ANALYSIS OF VERB PHRASE
USED IN THE HORSE DEALER’S DAUGHTER STORY
BY D.H. LAWRENCE
(USING X-BAR THEORY)

PUBLICATION JOURNAL

Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for Getting Bachelor Degree of Education
in English Department

by
SITI NUR FAIDAH
A320090215

SCHOOL OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF SURAKARTA
2013

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A SYNTACTIC ANALYSIS OF VERB PHRASE
USED IN THE HORSE DEALER’S DAUGHTER STORY
BY D.H. LAWRENCE
(USING X-BAR THEORY)
Siti Nur Faidah
A 320 090 215
faidah_alamin@yahoo.co.id
ABSTRACT
This research is syntactic analysis. The objects of this research are verb
phrases which are used in The Horse Dealer’s Daughter Story. The data are
taken from The Horse Dealer’s Daughter story manuscript. The aims of this
research are to identify the constituents of verb phrases and to describe the
functions of the constituents of verb phrases. This research is descriptive
qualitative research. In collecting data, the writer uses documentation. The writer
read the story. Then, she finds the verb phrases and coding the data. After that, the
writer classifies the data based on the constructions. After conducting the analysis,

the writer finds 14 types construction of verb phrase from 86 data. They are: a) V’
→ V + PP (Adjunct), consisting of 16 data or 18%, b) V’ → V + PP
(complement), consisting of 7 data or 8%, c) V’ → V + PP (complement) + PP
(adjunct), consisting of 3 data or 3%, d) V’ → V + NP (complement) + PP
(adjunct), consisting of 12 data or 14%, e) V’ → V + NP (complement),
consisting of 26 data or 31%, f) V’ → AdvP + V + NP (complement), consisting
of 6 data or 8%, g) V’ → V + PP (complement) + AdvP (adjunct), consisting of 2
data or 2%, h) V’ → V + AdvP (adjunct), consisting of 5 data or 7%, i) V’ → V +
AdvP (adjunct) + PP (adjunct), consisting of 2 data or 2%, j) V’ → V + NP
(complement) + AdvP (adjunct), consisting of 2 data or 2%, k) V’ → V + PP
(adjunct) + PP (adjunct), consisting of 1 datum or 1%, l) V’ → AdvP + V + PP
(complement), consisting of one datum or 1%, m) V’ → V + AdvP, consisting of
2 data or 2%, and n) V’ → V + AP, consisting of 1 datum or 1%.
Keywords: Verb Phrase, X-Bar, Constituent, Complement, and Adjunct.
INTRODUCTION
Language is important thing in human life. Language is used by people for
communication in their activity. Language has four different aspects namely
phonology, morphology, semantics, and syntax. Syntax is one aspects of linguistic
analysis. Syntax cannot be separated from other areas of language and individual


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lexical items. Gleason (in Srijono, 2001:63) defines syntax as the principle of
arrangement of the construction (words) into larger construction of various kinds.
Carnie (2002:3) states that “syntax is the study of how sentences are structured”.
By syntactic structure, people can analyze many grammatical forms. The
grammatical forms are such as sentence, clause, or phrase. One of phrases is verb
phrase. According to Morley (2000:55), “verbal phrase is a phrase which has a
verb headword as a main verb”. Verb phrase is one of phrases which is interesting
to be analyzed. Here, the writer is influenced to analyze verb phrase of a story
which she reads. The writer finds many verb phrases in the story.
In this research the writer aims to identify the constituents of verb phrases
and to describe the functions of constituents of verb phrases. In analyzing the verb
phrases, the writer uses X-bar theory.

RESEARCH METHOD
This research uses descriptive qualitative research. It means that there are
no calculating and numbering in this research. The object of this research is verb
phrases in The Horse Dealer’s Daughter story by D.H. Lawrence. The data are
verb phrases and the data taken from The Horse Dealer’s Daughter story

manuscript. The writer uses documentation as the technique of collecting data.
The steps are the following:
a. Reading The Horse Dealer’s Daughter story by D.H. Lawrence.
b. Finding the verb phrases in The Horse Dealer’s Daughter story
c. Retyping the data
d. Writing the data down in paper.
e. Coding the data verb phrase. For coding the data, the writer formulates as
follows:
001/THDD/VP, which means:
001

: Datum Number

THDD

: The Horse Dealer’s Daughter

VP

: Verb Phrase


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In analyzing the data, the writer uses some procedures to answer the
problem statements. They are:
1. The writer identifies the constituents of verb phrases based on X-bar
theory.
2. The writer describes the functions of constituents of verb phrases as
obligatory (complement) or optional (adjunct) and explain the reason of
its occurence by syntactic argument.

ANALYSIS DATA AND DISCUSSION
After describing the research method, the writer analyzes the data based on
the objective. The following analysis tries to answer the two objectives of this
research. The objectives are to identify the constituent of verb phrases which are
used in the Horse Dealer’s Daughter story and to describe the functions of
constituents of verb phrases which are used in the Horse Dealer’s Daughter
story.
A. Data Analysis
In analyzing the verb phrases in the Horse Dealer’s Daughter story,

the writer uses X-Bar theory to identify the constituents and to describe the
functions of constituents of verb phrases. The writer takes 86 data of verb
phrases in the Horse Dealer’s Daughter story. To know the clear analysis of
verb phrases construction, the writer elaborates the explanation as the
following.
a. V’ → V + PP (Adjunct)
1/THDD/VP
The three brothers and the sister sat round the desolate break-fast table

The VP construction above is boldface sat round the desolate
break-fast table. If it is tested by paraphrase the three brothers and sisters
sat the table, the resulted sentence is ill-formed. So the VP does not have

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an obligatory post modifier PP round the desolate break-fast table. The
post modifier PP consequently functions as adjunct not complement. Then,
the analyzing of VP construction by using X-bar theory is the following.

PS rule


phrase maker

V” → V’
V’ → V’ + PP
V’ → V

V”

V’
V’

PP

V

sat

round the desolate break-fast table


The datum shows that sat round the desolate break-fast table is full
VP (V”). The constituent verb sat stands as the head of VP. Then the
constituent round the desolate break-fast table stands as post modifier
constituent PP. It can be seen that V” is generated into V’. Then V’ is
generated into V’ + PP (V’ → V’ + PP). Then V’ is generated into V
(V’→ V). The constituent PP round the desolate break-fast table also has
function as adjunct or optional because if the constituent is deleted
becoming the three brothers and sister sat, it doesn’t result ill form
construction. Beside the reason, the PP is also the sister of V’ and the
daughter of V’.
b. V’ → V + PP (complement)
2/THDD/VP
They sprawled at the table

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The VP construction above is boldface sprawled at the table. If it
is tested by paraphrase they sprawled the table, the resulted sentence is
well-formed. So the VP has an obligatory post modifier PP at the table.
The post modifier PP consequently functions as complement. Then, the

analyzing of VP construction by using X-bar theory is the following.

PS rule

Phrase maker
V”

V” → V’
V’ → V’ + PP

V’
V

PP

sprawled

at the table

The datum shows that sprawled at the table is full VP. The

constituent verb sprawled stands as the head of VP. Then the constituent
at the table stands as post modifier constituent PP. It can be seen that V” is
generated into V’. Then V’ is generated into V + PP (V’ → V + PP). The
constituent PP at the table has function as complement or obligation,
because the preposition at as in PP at the table is closely attached to its
verb sprawled as to make an idiom sprawled at.
c. V’ → V + PP (complement) + PP (adjunct)
3/THDD/VP
The three men all sprawled round in their chairs to watch

The VP construction above is boldface sprawled in their chairs to
watch. If it is tested by paraphrase the three men all sprawled the chairs,

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the resulted sentence is well-formed. So the VP has an obligatory post
modifier PP round in their chairs. The post modifier PP consequently
functions as complement. Meanwhile the constituent to watch stands as
post modifier PP that has function as adjunct or optional. Then, the
analyzing of VP construction by using X-bar theory is the following.

PS rule

Phrase maker
V”

V” → V’
V’ → V’ + PP
V’ → V + PP

V’
V’
V

sprawled

PP
PP

round in their chairs

to watch

The datum shows that sprawled round in their chairs to watch is
full VP. The constituent verb sprawled stands as the head of VP. Then the
constituent round in their chairs stands as post modifier constituent PP.
then the constituent to watch also stands as post modifier constituent PP. It
can be seen that V” is generated into V’. Then V’ is generated into V’ +
PP and the V’ is generated into V + PP (V’ → V + PP + PP). The
constituent PP round in their chairs has function as complement or
obligation. Meanwhile the constituent PP to watch has function as adjunct
or optional.
d. V’ → V + NP (complement) + PP (adjunct)
5/THDD/VP
He twisted his black moustache over a thick finger

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The VP construction above is boldface twisted his black
moustache over a thick finger. If it is tested by paraphrase he twisted his
hair, the resulted sentence is well-formed. So the VP has an obligatory
post modifier NP his black moustache. Then the constituent over a thick
finger stands as post modifier PP that has function as adjunct or optional.
Then, the analyzing of VP construction by using X-bar theory is the
following.
PS rule

Phrase maker
V”

V” → V’
V’ → V’ + PP
V’ → V + NP

V’

V’

V

twisted

PP
NP

his black moustache

over a thick
finger

The datum shows that He twisted his black moustache over a thick
finger is full VP. The constituent verb twisted stands as the head of VP.
Then the constituent his black moustache stands as post modifier
constituent NP. Then the constituent over a thick finger stands as post
modifier constituent PP. It can be seen that V” is generated into V’. Then
V’ is generated into V’ + PP and the V’ is generated into V’ + NP (V’ →
V + NP + PP). The constituent NP his black moustache has function as
complement or obligation. Meanwhile the constituent PP over a thick
finger has function as adjunct or optional because it has no closed
relationship with the verb. By deleting the constituent over a thick finger

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becoming twisted his black mustache, it doesn’t result ill form
construction.

e. V’ → V + NP (complement)
7/THDD/VP
Every moment showed a massive

The VP construction above is boldface showed a massive. If it is
tested by paraphrase every moment showed a hope, the resulted sentence is
well-formed. So the VP has an obligatory post modifier NP a massive.
Then, the analyzing of VP construction by using X-bar theory is the
following.

PS rule

Phrase maker
V”

V” → V’
V’ → V+ NP


V’

V

showed

NP

a massive

The datum shows that every moment showed a massive is full VP.
The constituent verb showed stands as the head of VP. Then the
constituent a massive stands as post modifier constituent NP. It can be
seen that V” is generated into V’. Then V’ is generated into V + NP (V’ →
V + NP). The constituent NP a massive has function as complement or
obligation.

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B. Discussion of Research Finding
There are 14 types of verb phrase constructions found in the Horse
Dealer’s Daughter story based on the status of the constituents of verb
phrases construction. The construction can be drawn as follows:
a. V’ → V + PP (Adjunct)
There are 16 data of verb phrase which have the construction above.
b. V’ → V + PP (complement)
There are 7 data of verb phrase which have the construction above.
c. V’ → V + PP (complement) + PP (adjunct)
There are 3 data of verb phrase which have the construction above.
d. V’ → V + NP (complement) + PP (adjunct)
There are 12 data of verb phrase which have the construction above.
e. V’ → V + NP (complement)
There are 26 data of verb phrase which have the construction above.
f. V’ → AdvP + V + NP (complement)
There are 6 data of verb phrase which have the construction above.
g. V’ → V + PP (complement) + AdvP (adjunct)
There are 2 data of verb phrases which have the construction above.
h. V’ → V + AdvP (adjunct)
There are 5 data of verb phrases which have the construction above.
i. V’ → V + Adv + PP (adjunct)
There are 2 data of verb phrase which have the construction above.
j. V’ → V + NP (complement) + AdvP
There are 2 data of verb phrases which have the construction above.
k. V’ → V + PP (adjunct) + PP (adjunct)
There is only 1 verb phrase which have the construction above.
l. V’ → AdvP + V + PP (complement)
There is only 1 datum of verb phrase which have the construction
above.

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m. V’ → V + AdvP
There are 2 data of verb phrases which have the construction above.
n. V’ → V + AP
There is 1 datum of verb phrases which have the construction above.

CONCLUSSION
From the results of the research, it comes to the conclusion about the
constituents and the functions of constituents of verb phrases which found in
the Horse Dealer’s Daughter story.
There are 14 types constructions of verb phrase from 86 data based
on the status of the constituents of verb phrases. They are; a) V’ → V + PP
(Adjunct), consisting of 16 data or 18%, b) V’ → V + PP (complement),
consisting of 7 data or 8%, c) V’ → V + PP (complement) + PP (adjunct),
consisting of 3 data or 3%, d) V’ → V + NP (complement) + PP (adjunct),
consisting of 12 data or 14%, e) V’ → V + NP (complement), consisting of
26 data or 31%, f) V’ → AdvP + V + NP (complement), consisting of 6 data
or 8%, g) V’ → V + PP (complement) + AdvP (adjunct), consisting of 2 data
or 2%, h) V’ → V + AdvP (adjunct), consisting of 5 data or 7%, i) V’ → V +
AdvP (adjunct) + PP (adjunct), consisting of 2 data or 2%, j) V’ → V + NP
(complement) + AdvP (adjunct), consisting of 2 data or 2%, k) V’ → V + PP
(adjunct) + PP (adjunct), consisting of 1 datum or 1%, l) V’ → AdvP + V +
PP (complement), consisting of 1 datum or 1%, m) V’ → V + AdvP,
consisting of 2 data or 2%, and n) V’ → V + AP, consisting of 21datum or
1%.

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BIBILIOGRAPHY

Carnie, Andrew. 2002. Syntax. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Morley. G. David. 2000. Syntax in Functional Grammar. London: Continyum.

Srijono, Djoko. 2001. An Introduction Course of Linguistic. Surakarta:
Muhammadiyah University Press.

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APPENDIX

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