Jain Journal 2004 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 54

SATYA RANJAN BANERJEE ANEKANTAVĀDA AND LANGUAGE
idea". It should be borne in mind that "deep structure of a sentence gives its meaning because the deep structure contains all of the information required to determine the meaning of a sentence." (p. 19).
The surface structure is the sentence which is actually produced, which is actually written or spoken. The deep structure implies the inner intended meaning of a sentence which the native speaker of the language takes into account. The surface structure shows the sentence in communication, whereas the deep structure of a sentence tells us the significance of the sentence so spoken. In fact, the deep structure ultimately expresses the semantic aspect of a sentence which can be elicited from the sentence.
The next point which arises in this context is to state the relationship between the deep and surface structures of a sentence, or vice versa. The answer to this question is simple. The relationship between the deep and surface structures is transformation which functions as a link between the two. In other words, a deep structure becomes a surface structure via transformation. As deep structure is mainly based on the meaning of a sentence and its syntax, it is regarded as an "abstract" object, while surface structure, because of its written or spoken form, is closer to physical reality.
The part played by transformation to both these structures, is to change or transfer one constituent element into another. The transformation is the process which changes the word-order of the deep structure, so as to generate the surface structure.
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"Transformation is the process which converts deep structures into intermediate or surface structures" (p 23). For example. i) a declarative sentence into an interrogative one. ii) an active sentence into a passive one.
For example - the active sentence
a) Daisy puzzled Winterbourne
is transformed into a passive as
b) Winterbourne was puzzled by Daisy.
Any language makes use of their elementary transformational processes: adjunction, substitution, and deletion.
For example, the English sentence-I have decided on the train can mean many aspects. It may mean that