Basic English Syntax

Gloria Cocchi

Basic English Syntax

This book is designed as an introduction to English syntax, in that it offers an overview of the core syntactic phenomena which characterize this language and proposes a principled explanation for them. Though we will base our discussion on English, this language will often be contrasted with other languages, in order to show how phenomena that look different may be given a common explanation, based on a diverse parametric choice.

Printed Edition

22.00

Pages: 202

ISBN: 9788891787989

Edition: 1a ristampa 2023, 1a edizione 2019

Publisher code: 1058.54

Availability: Buona


This book is designed as an introduction to English syntax, in that it offers an overview of the core syntactic phenomena which characterize this language and proposes a principled explanation for them; for example, it deals with the syntactic build-up of phrases and sentences, the various classes of verbs, passive clauses and interrogative clauses.
We will adopt the theoretical approach known as Generative Grammar (since Chomsky 1957), which focuses on the human capacity to generate an endless number of phrases and sentences. The basic idea is that a Universal Grammar is innate in our brain, a fact which renders all languages similar despite appearances, as the superficial differences observed can be reduced to a few syntactic properties, called Parameters.
Though we will base our discussion on English, this language will often be contrasted with other languages, in order to show how phenomena that look different may be given a common explanation, based on a diverse parametric choice.

Gloria Cocchi teaches General Linguistics at the University of Urbino. Her research is mainly focussed on formal syntax, with a specific emphasis on some syntactic aspects of English, Italian and its dialects, and Bantu languages, as well as on cross-linguistic comparison and code-switching.

List of abbreviations and symbols
Preface
Introduction - The Principles and Parameters Theory
(How we learn a language; Different theories of language acquisition; Universal Grammar - Principles and Parameters; Levels of representation; Summary)
Sentences and Phrases
(Introduction; Basic concepts; Constituency tests; A preliminary representation of sentence structure; Binary Branching; Summary)
Argument Structure and Thematic Structure
(Introduction; Arguments and adjuncts; Argument structure; Thematic structure; External and internal arguments; Extending the analysis to other categories; Summary)
Phrase Structure
(Introduction; NP structure; VP structure; AP structure; PP structure; X-bar theory; Summary)
Movement
(Introduction; Chain formation and copies; Restrictions to movement; Overt and covert movement; Summary)
Sentence Structure
(Introduction; Previous hypotheses revisited; The role of auxiliaries; Sentences as phrases; Subject movement; Simple tenses; Complex sentences: subordination; Summary)
Lexical and Functional Categories
(Introduction; Basic concepts; Adverbs; Determiners; Pronouns; Predicates other than VP; Summary)
DP-Movement
(Introduction; Passive sentences; Verbs with a double reading; Two classes of intransitive verbs; Expletives and impersonal passives; Summary)
Interrogative Clauses
(Introduction; Yes-no questions; Open questions; Echo questions; Complex interrogative sentences and wh-islands; That and interrogatives; Double interrogatives; DP islands; Summary)
Glossary
References.

Serie: Lingua, traduzione, didattica

Subjects: Linguistics

Level: Scholarly Research - Textbooks

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