surface structures
[/ˈsɜːrfɪs ˈstrʌktʃərz/]
nounpl: surface structures
estruturas de superfície
1. In linguistics, the syntactic structure of a sentence as it is actually spoken or written, as opposed to its underlying deep structure
The surface structure of the sentence 'The book was read by John' differs from its deep structure
A estrutura de superfície da sentença 'O livro foi lido por João' difere de sua estrutura profunda
2. The visible or outer form or appearance of something, as opposed to its underlying essence or composition
The surface structures of the two organizations appear similar, but their internal operations are quite different
As estruturas de superfície das duas organizações parecem semelhantes, mas suas operações internas são bastante diferentes
3. In geology or physics, the structural features visible on or near the outer layer of a material or geological formation
The surface structures of the rock revealed the geological history of the region
As estruturas de superfície da rocha revelaram o histórico geológico da região
The term 'surface structures' is primarily used in academic and linguistic contexts, particularly in discussions of Noam Chomsky's transformational grammar theory. It gained prominence in Brazilian and Portuguese linguistics education during the late 20th century and remains standard terminology in universities. The concept contrasts deep underlying meaning with explicit linguistic forms, reflecting a broader intellectual interest in hidden structures versus visible manifestations.
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