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deep structure vs. surface structure

deep structure

noun

Linguistics.

  1. (in transformational-generative grammar) the underlying semantic or syntactic representation of a sentence, from which the surface structure may be derived.

surface structure

noun

Linguistics.

  1. a structural representation of the final syntactic form of a sentence, as it exists after the transformational component has modified a deep structure.

  2. the string of words that is actually produced.