European University Institute Library

Introducing syntax, Olaf Koeneman, Hedde Zeijlstra

eng

index present

non fiction

Introducing syntax

electronic resource

dictionaries

1156893291

Olaf Koeneman, Hedde Zeijlstra

Cambridge introductions to language and linguisticsCambridge University Press - Higher Education Textbooks

Syntax is the system of rules that we subconsciously follow when we build sentences. Whereas the grammar of English (or other languages) might look like a rather chaotic set of arbitrary patterns, linguistic science has revealed that these patterns can actually be understood as the result of a small number of grammatical principles. This lively introductory textbook is designed for undergraduate students in linguistics, English and modern languages with relatively little background in the subject, offering the necessary tools for the analysis of phrases and sentences while at the same time introducing state-of-the-art syntactic theory in an accessible and engaging way. Guiding students through a variety of intriguing puzzles, striking facts and novel ideas, Introducing Syntax presents contemporary insights into syntactic theory in one clear and coherent narrative, avoiding unnecessary detail and enabling readers to understand the rationale behind technicalities. Aids to learning include highlighted key terms, suggestions for further reading and numerous exercises, placing syntax in a broader grammatical perspective.--, Provided by publisher

Machine generated contents note: About this book; Foreword; The language machine; 1. Categories and features; 2. Merge; 3. Theta theory; 4. Case theory; 5. Agreement and uninterpretable features; 6. Movement and remerge; 7. Unifying movement and agreement; 8. Syntax and morphology; 9. Syntax and phonology; 10. Syntax and semantics; Afterword; Glossary; References; Acknowledgements