ABSTRACT

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.

chapter 1|14 pages

Preliminaries

chapter 2|23 pages

Constituent structure

chapter 3|14 pages

Syntactic rules

chapter 4|14 pages

Syntactic categories

chapter 5|19 pages

Heads and complements

chapter 6|11 pages

Subjects and predicates

chapter 7|14 pages

Anaphora

chapter 8|13 pages

Noncanonical complements and subjects

chapter 9|12 pages

Grammatical functions

chapter 10|22 pages

Passives

chapter 11|18 pages

Raising sentences

chapter 12|13 pages

Control

chapter 13|17 pages

Wh-dependencies

chapter 14|23 pages

Island constraints

chapter 15|17 pages

Concluding remarks