Abstract
Contemporary generative grammar assumes that syntactic structure is best described in terms of sets, and that locality conditions, as well as cross-linguistic variation, is determined at the level of designated functional heads. Syntactic operations (merge, MERGE, etc.) build a structure by deriving sets from lexical atoms and recursively (and monotonically) yielding sets of sets. Additional restrictions over the format of structural descriptions limit the number of elements involved in each operation to two at each derivational step, a head and a non-head. In this paper, we will explore an alternative direction for minimalist inquiry based on previous work, e.g., Frank (2002, 2006), albeit under novel assumptions. We propose a view of syntactic structure as a specification of relations in graphs, which correspond to the extended projection of lexical heads; these are elementary trees in Tree Adjoining Grammars. We present empirical motivation for a lexicalised approach to structure building, where the units of the grammar are elementary trees. Our proposal will be based on cross-linguistic evidence; we will consider the structure of elementary trees in Spanish, English and German. We will also explore the consequences of assuming that nodes in elementary trees are addresses for purposes of tree composition operations, substitution and adjunction.
Highlights
The definition of local domains for the application of syntactic rules, as well as rules of semantic interpretation, has been a central topic in generative grammar since the first definitions of a transformational cycle [1,2,3]
Fail to account for the generalisations that hold across the structures for a particular language, or across languages in general, unless independently motivated constraints are imposed on the nature of elementary trees: what linguistically relevant categories they can and cannot contain
A theory of this kind is prefigured in [21], where it is each approach are different: while a strict version of the requires nominal arguments claimed that “an elementary tree should be built around a single semantic predicate”; we to head their elementary if the focus set on predication rathera than just lexicality, merely implement theown condition that trees the anchor of aniselementary tree is only semantic the elementary trees defined by the grammar look quite differently; we will compare predicate
Summary
The definition of local domains for the application of syntactic rules, as well as rules of semantic interpretation, has been a central topic in generative grammar since the first definitions of a transformational cycle [1,2,3]. Syntactic domains are delimited by the presence of functional categories v* and C, which defines the size of syntactic chunks where operations of feature checking/valuation and movement/internal merge take place. That locality conditions defined tween lexical and functional material, such that lexical heads define local interpretative in structural representations are intimately related to the distinction between lexical and domains. We will provide arguments in favour of a model of the grammar where the size functional material, such that lexical heads define local interpretative domains. We will of syntactic domains is neither defined a priori nor is it determined by the presence of a provide arguments in favour of a model of the as grammar whereprojections the size of syntactic domains specially designated functional head. To do so, we need to present some preliminary definitions of lexicalised TAGs
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