2nd Edition

Syntactic Theory A Unified Approach

By Robert Borsley Copyright 1999
    288 Pages
    by Routledge

    288 Pages
    by Routledge

    Syntactic theory is central to the study of language. This innovative book introduces the ideas which underlie most approaches to syntax and shows how they have been developed within two broad frameworks: principles and parameters theory and phrase structure grammar. While other texts either concentrate on one theory or treat them as totally separate, here both approaches are introduced together, highlighting the similarities as well as the differences.



    Thoroughly updated in the light of major recent developments, this second edition includes expanded explanations of the main characteristics of the two theories, summaries of the main features, exercises reinforcing key points and suggestions for further investigation.

    Preliminaries
    Constituent structure
    Syntactic rules
    Syntactic categories
    Heads and complements
    Subjects and predicates
    Anaphora
    Noncanonical complements and subjects
    Grammatical functions
    Passives
    Raising sentences
    Control
    Wh-dependencies
    Island constraints.

    Biography

    Robert Borsley is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Essex, UK.

    Borsley has given us a new kind of book: one that combines the best features of other introductory texts on syntax with serious discussion of alternatives to transformational grammar. Maybe we can at last hope for a generation of linguists trained to live in the real world of many theories.
    Richard Hudson, Professor of Linguistics, Universi