Syntactic Theory and the Structure of English: A Minimalist Approach

by Andrew Radford

Overview

A new textbook written for students with no background in syntax, which introduces them to key concepts of Chomsky's Minimalist program (e.g. merger and movement, checking, economy and greed, split VPs, agreement projections), as well as providing detailed analysis of the syntax of a range of different construction types. Illustrative material is mainly drawn from varieties of English (Belfast English, Shakespearean English, Jamaican Creole, etc.). There is a substantial glossary and extensive workbook section with helpful hints and model answers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521471251
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	07/10/1997
Series:	Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics
Pages:	572
Product dimensions:	6.18(w) x 9.29(h) x 1.61(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Principles and parameters; 2. Categories and features; 3. Syntactic structure; 4. Empty categories; 5. Checking; 6. Head movement; 7. Operator movement; 8. A movement; 9. VP shells; 10. Agreement projections; Glossary and list of abbreviations; References; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"...Andrew Radford's new book is so welcome. ...an easy and painless way for philosophers to bring themselves up to speed on developments in Chomsky's minimalist syntax.... ...the book very effectively presents the emerging consensus within minimalist sybtax, and provides the necessary background for pursuing topics in the primary literature. I highly recommend it to my fellow travelers in linguistically-minded philosphy of language." Robert J. Stainton

"...for those who want to go beyond the surface of word order patterns and morphological amrking, digging for deeper insights into the syntax of a language, Radford's book will certainly be of help. ...linguists working with a functionalist orientation might find it interesting to know how the Minimalist Program combines formal syntactic representations with the functional concept of economy." Joost Zwarts, Notes on Linguistics

From the Publisher