An Introduction to Syntactic Theory

by Moravcsik, Edith A.

• ISBN13: 9780826489432
• ISBN10: 0826489435
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-06-19
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic

Summary

Provides an introduction to syntactic theory. This book includes theories such as transformational generative grammar, relational grammar, word grammar, functional grammar, and optimality theory. It also includes chapter summaries, suggestions for further reading, exercises, a glossary of terms, and an appendix for analysis or reference.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Symbols and Abbreviations	xiii
Chapter 1 Parameters of Syntactic Theories	1	(35)
1 Preliminaries	1	(7)
2 How can syntactic theories differ from each other?	8	(5)
2.1 Necessary similarities	8	(3)
2.2 Actual differences	11	(2)
3 Why are there different syntactic theories?	13	(19)
3.1 Imperatives in English: the problem	13	(2)
3.2 Coping with contradictions	15	(3)
3.3 Imperatives in English: solutions	18	(4)
3.4 Wh-questions in English: problems and solutions	22	(3)
3.5 A typology of conflicts	25	(7)
4 Conclusions	32	(1)
Notes	32	(2)
Exercises	34	(2)
Chapter 2 Alternative Analyses of Syntactic Structures	36	(39)
1 Preliminaries	36	(2)
2 Discontinuous order	38	(17)
2.1 What is discontinuous order?	38	(6)
2.2 Conflict between orderings	44	(1)
2.3 Conflict between selection and ordering	45	(9)
2.4 Summary	54	(1)
3 Long-distance agreement	55	(16)
3.1 Hungarian	55	(6)
3.2 Tsez	61	(5)
3.3 The larger picture	66	(5)
4 Conclusions	71	(2)
Notes	73	(1)
Exercises	74	(1)
Chapter 3 Alternative Analyses of Symbolic Correspondence Relations: Co-ordination	75	(32)
1 Preliminaries	75	(3)
2 Compositionality in co-ordinate constructions	78	(3)
3 Non-compositionality in co-ordinate constructions and its alternative analyses	81	(23)
3.1 Conjuncts that are not constituents	81	(12)
3.2 Co-conjuncts that are not of the same syntactic type	93	(11)
4 Conclusions	104	(1)
Notes	104	(1)
Exercises	105	(2)
Chapter 4 Alternative Analyses of Symbolic Correspondence Relations: Grammatical Functions	107	(40)
1 Preliminaries	107	(4)
2 Semantic participant roles and grammatical functions	111	(4)
2.1 Active and passive sentences
2.2 Double-object and object-dative sentences	113	(2)
3 Analysing Patient-Recipient sentences by unifying the two forms	115	(14)
3.1 Syntactic characteristics of Patients and Recipients	115	(5)
3.2 A Relational Grammar account	120	(2)
3.3 Transformational Generative Grammar accounts	122	(7)
3.4 A Lexicase account	129	(1)
4 Analysing Patient-Recipient sentences by splitting their meaning	129	(7)
4.1 Semantic characteristics of Patients and Recipients	129	(2)
4.2 A Functional Grammar account	131	(2)
4.3 A Construction Grammar account	133	(1)
4.4 A Cognitive Grammar account	134	(2)
5 A cross-linguistic outlook	136	(6)
5.1 Direct-object and primary-object languages	136	(3)
5.2 Accusative and ergative languages	139	(3)
6 Conclusions	142	(2)
Notes	144	(1)
Exercises	145	(2)
Chapter 5 Alternative Analyses of Syntactic Variation and Change	147	(32)
1 Preliminaries	147	(1)
2 Alternative analyses of word order variation across languages	148	(13)
2.1 The problem	148	(4)
2.2 Heads and dependents	152	(3)
2.3 Branching and non-branching constituents	155	(2)
2.4 Mother-node-constructing and non-mother-node-constructing constituents	157	(3)
2.5 Summary	160	(1)
3 Alternative analyses of relative clause acquisition in second languages	161	(14)
3.1 The problem	161	(2)
3.2 External transfer	163	(5)
3.3 Internal transfer	168	(1)
3.4 Simplification	169	(3)
3.5 Language acquisition and historical change	172	(2)
3.6 Summary	174	(1)
4 Conclusions	175	(1)
Notes	176	(1)
Exercises	176	(3)
Chapter 6 Four Contemporary Approaches to Syntax	179	(40)
1 Preliminaries	179	(1)
2 Transformational grammars	180	(10)
2.1 Basic assumptions	180	(3)
2.2 The passive construction in English	183	(7)
2.3 Summary	190	(1)
3 Dependency grammars	190	(12)
3.1 Basic assumptions	190	(4)
3.2 Categorial identity across phrases	194	(3)
3.3 Categorial identity within phrases	197	(2)
3.4 X-bar theory	199	(3)
3.5 Summary	202	(1)
4 Construction grammars	202	(9)
4.1 Basic assumptions	202	(1)
4.2 All constructions have meanings	202	(7)
4.3 All constructions have unique meanings	209	(2)
4.4 Summary	211	(1)
5 Optimality Theory	211	(4)
5.1 Basic assumptions	211	(1)
5.2 The case marking of direct objects	212	(3)
5.3 Summary	215	(1)
6 Conclusions	215	(1)
Notes	216	(1)
Exercises	217	(2)
Chapter 7 Where do Conflicts Come From?	219	(6)
1 Two sources of conflict	219	(1)
2 Conflicts in language	219	(4)
2.1 Meaning and form	219	(1)
2.2 Speaker and addressee	220	(3)
3 Conflicts in metalanguage	223	(1)
4 Conclusion	224	(1)
Appendix: Parallel Data from Six Languages	225	(12)
English	225	(1)
Latin	226	(2)
Russian	228	(2)
Hungarian	230	(1)
Japanese	231	(4)
Chantyal	235	(2)
Glossary	237	(11)
References	248