ABSTRACT
Syntactic devices are regarded as contributing symbolic signs to the conceptual structure and as enriching the ability of the speaker to accomplish semiotic extension. Each device constructs a particular portion of the conceptual structure of the utterances it appears in and functions as a whole. The three syntactic devices analyzed in this chapter are the passive, restrictive relative clause, and pseudocleft constructions. The use of wh-terms in the second and third of these is analyzed in terms of anaphoric or cataphoric and deictic functions. The syntactic devices are represented in the form of PATNs (Parallel Augmented Transition Networks), which permit different steps to be taken at the same time. The restrictive relative clause device distinguishes right-branching and center-embedded relative clauses; it also provides an explanation for the greater difficulty of multiple occurrences of the latter. The pseudocleft device accounts for various types of pseudocleft sentences without positing an underlying structure of separate clauses.
