English Syntax: A Minimalist Account of Structure and Variation

by Elspeth Edelstein

Overview

This textbook introduces the main aspects of Minimalist syntax through the use of data from a number of varieties of English. In doing so it equips you with a firm grounding in tools of syntactic analysis while demonstrating the potential for variationist linguistics and theoretical syntax to feed into each other. By working through the range of examples and exercises you will be able to see that all varieties of language are rule-based and can be observed and described systematically, regardless of how Standard or socially valued they are.Each chapter explores examples of puzzling syntactic phenomena in varieties of English. Through analysis of the given constructions, and comparison to similar structures, it will introduce you to the relevant concepts in Minimalist syntax.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781474425513
Publisher:	Edinburgh University Press
Publication date:	02/28/2020
Series:	Edinburgh Textbooks on the English Language - Advanced
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.43(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Elspeth Edelstein is a Lecturer and the Undergraduate Programme Convenor in Language and Linguistics at the University of Aberdeen

Table of Contents

1 Got Grammar? 1.1 Introduction1.2 Grammaticality1.2.1 Determining Grammaticality1.3 What is Syntax? 1.4 What is Minimalism? 1.5 Variation in English1.6 Further Reading 1.7 Exercises2 Phrase Structure2.1 C-Selection & Merge2.2 Adjuncts & Specifiers2.3 Talking About Trees2.4 What Happened to X-Bar? 2.5 Syntactic Generation2.6 S-selection2.6.1 Thematic Roles2.6.2 Other Types of Selection? 2.7 Conclusion2.8 Further Reading 2.9 Exercises3 Lexical Verbs3.1 Ditransitive and Double Object verbs3.1.1 Variation in Theta-Role Assignment Again 3.2 Transitive and Intransitive verbs3.3 Back to give back 3.3.1 Give it you back3.4 Conclusion3.5 Further Reading 3.6 Exercises4 Auxiliary verbs and Functional Structure4.1 Passive auxiliaries 4.2 Whither the subject? 4.2.1 Evidence for Subject Movement4.2.2 What happened to traces? 4.3 Get-passives4.4 Other auxiliaries4.4.1 Multiple Modals 4.5 Conclusion4.6 Further Reading 4.7 Exercises5 Embedded Clauses and Questions5.1 Embedded Clauses 5.1.1 Embedded Questions 5.2 Questions 5.2.1 Lexical Be, Have and Do 5.2.2 Wh-Questions 5.2.3 Multi-Clausal Questions 5.3 Relative Clauses5.4 Conclusion5.5 Further Reading 5.6 Exercises6 Negation6.1 Not and -n’t 6.1.1 Negation and Modality 6.2 Do-Support with Negation 6.3 Negation in Questions6.4 Negation in Scottish English6.5 Negative Polarity Items6.6 Neg-Raising6.7 Negative Concord6.8 Conclusion 6.9 Further Reading 6.10 Exercises7 Non-Finite Complements7.1 Non-Finite Complements7.1.1 Raising verbs7.1.2 Control verbs7.1.3 Accusativus Cum Infinitivo 7.2 Is PRO (Un)-Minimalist? 7.2.1 Raising and Floating Quantifiers7.3 Other Verbal Complements7.3.1 Concealed and Alternative Embedded Passives 7.4 Conclusion7.5 Further Reading 7.6 Exercises8 Nouns and Determiners8.1 The DP Hypothesis8.1.1 Reevaluating the DP Hypothesis8.1.2 Subcategorisation 8.2 Reflexive pronouns8.2.1 Unbound and Long-Distance Reflexives 8.3 Coordinated pronouns8.4 Conclusion8.5 Further Reading8.6 Exercises9 Adjectives and Adverbs9.1 Rethinking Structure9.1.1 Specifiers and Adjuncts 9.1.2 Selection of Dependents 9.2 Adjectives9.2.1 Attributive Adjective Order9.3 Adverb Order9.4 Adverb Placement: Evidence from Adverb Climbing9.5 Sentence-Final Adverbs9.6 Post-Verbal Adverbs9.6.1 Are Adjectives and Adverbs the Same Thing? 9.7 Summing up Adverb Placement and Order9.8 Conclusion9.9 Further Reading 9.10 Exercises10 Minimalism and Microvariation10.1 Sources of Data 10.2 Sources of Variation10.3 Intraspeaker Variation10.4 Conclusion10.5 Further Reading Bibliography