TG n
another term for transformational-generative grammar
see generative grammar
that-trace effect n
in English, a subject cannot be extracted when it follows the complemen-
tizer that. Thus, while the sentences Did you think that Jennifer would win?
and Who did you think would win?are both grammatical, the sentence
*Who did you think that would win?is ungrammatical. This is called a
that-trace effect. It does not apply in all languages.
see also trace
thematic roles n
see q-theory/theta theory
theme n
see functional sentence perspective
theory n
1 a statement of a general principle or set of propositions, based upon reasoned
argument and supported by evidence, that is intended to explain a parti-
cular fact, event, or phenomenon. One view of the difference between a
theory and a hypothesisis that a theory is more strongly supported by
evidence than a hypothesis. Another view is that the distinction is related
to breadth of coverage, a theory being broader than a hypothesis.
2 the part of a science or art that deals with general principles and methods
as opposed to practice: a set of rules or principles of the study of a subject.
thesaurus n
an arrangement of the words and phrases of a language not in alphabetical
order but according to the ideas they express. A thesaurus is different from
a dictionary. Whereas a dictionary aims at explaining the meaning of words
and expressions, a thesaurus suggests a range of words and phrases asso-
ciated with an idea. For example, an excerpt from Roget’s Thesaurus of
English Words and Phrases shows under “Amusement” expressions such as:
fun, frolic, merriment, whoopee, jollity, joviality, laughter
thesis n
see dissertation
thesis statement n
in some schools of composition, a sentence which states the central idea of
an essay. A thesis statement comes at the beginning of the essay – usually in
thesis statement