Syntactic Theory

Geoffrey Poole

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Year: 2011
• Print ISBN: 9780230243941
• eBook ISBN: 9781350308008
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Grammar & Punctuation
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

This is a highly recommendable book. It elegantly introduces generative grammar as an empirical science. Written in a clear and friendly tone, it is extremely readable and makes complicated linguistic theory accessible to students' - Ken Ramshøj Christensen, Aarhus University, Denmark This clear and practical introduction to Syntactic Theory introduces students to theory building, hypothesis testing and evaluation through the framework of Chomsky's Government-Binding Theory. Initial chapters guide the student through essential topics such as X'-Theory, Transformations and elementary Binding Theory, progressing to cover more advanced issues such as Reconstruction, the light verb vP and control as movement. Presenting the core linguistic theory and problem solving skills that are essential to the subject, this updated and revised second edition features: • New material on the Minimalist Program and Government-Binding Theory
• Expanded chapters on Phrase Structure and Functional Categories
• A wealth of new tree diagrams as well as revised end-of-chapter exercises The liberal use of in-text exercises engage the reader at every stage of theory-development, while an 'Open Issue' at the end of each chapter encourages active participation and further exploration of the chapter's topic. With an engaging, informal style, Syntactic Theory makes the most difficult topics accessible to a wide range of students.
Clear, practical and accessible, Syntactic Theory introduces students to theory building and evaluation through Government-Binding Theory. Now fully updated, this second edition features new chapters on the Minimalist Program, expanded chapters on Phrase Structure and Functional Categories and extensively revised end-of-chapter exercises.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Halftitle Page
• Series
• Titlepage
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Figures and Tables
• Preface to the Second Edition
• Preface to the First Edition
• Acknowledgements
• chapter 1: Introduction
• chapter 2: Phrase Structure and Constituency
• chapter 3: X'-Theory and Functional Categories
• chapter 4: θ-Theory and Case Theory
• chapter 5: Introduction to Binding Theory
• chapter 6: Movement and Chains
• chapter 7: Logical Form
• chapter 8: Empty Categories and their Constraints
• chapter 9: Towards the Minimalist Program: Clause Structure Revisited
• chapter 10: Towards the Minimalist Program: Movement Revisited
• Notes
• References
• Index