How do Daniel & Smitherman differentiate between surface and deep structure?
Daniel and Smitherman distinguish between deep and surface structure, defining surface structure as a sentence's actual word order and deep structure as the sentence's underlying meaning or intended message. To translate the deep structure into the surface structure, they use transformational rules, which enable language analysis and comprehension on two levels. The actual sequence of words in a sentence is known as surface structure, according to Daniel and Smitherman, whereas the underlying meaning or intended message of the sentence is referred to as deep structure. They investigate the process by which transformational rules transform deep structure into surface structure, so promoting a more profound comprehension of language. In "How I Got Over: Communication Dynamics in the Black Community," Daniel and Smitherman use the language patterns and customs of African American communication to show the difference between surface and deep structure. While deep structure addresses the underlying meanings, cultural contexts, and societal implications embedded in the communication, surface structure refers to the words and phrases as they are practically structured. In doing so, they reveal the complex connection between surface and deep structures in Black communication dynamics by examining the ways in which African American language distinctively reflects historical experiences, identity, and community values.
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