Grammar and Discourse Principles: Functional Syntax and GB Theory - Softcover

Kuno, Susumu; Takami, Ken-ichi

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0226462048 ISBN 13: 9780226462042

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 1993

Synopsis

In Grammar and Discourse Principles, Susumu Kuno and Ken-ichi Takami critically examine recent work in the Government and Binding framework developed by Chomsky, Rizzi, Lasnik and Saito, Huang, Aoun, and others. They demonstrate that this work encounters a variety of empirical and theoretical difficulties when confronted by an expanded range of data. Alternatively, the authors offer independently motivated functional explanations that account for these data and that do not require postulation of concepts like "L-marking" and "blocking category."

Kuno and Takami begin by looking at extraction phenomena, including extraction from complement clauses, the overt subject requirement, and subjacency, and provide functional accounts that improve on the Barriers analysis. Next, they discuss multiple wh questions in English and Japanese, with special reference to why and naze. The authors also examine and ultimately reject the major arguments in support of Larson's "light predicate raising" analysis. Finally, Kuno and Takami discuss coreferentiality of picture noun reflexives and the relation of quantifier scope interpretations, particularly those in sentences involving psychological verbs such as bother, worry, and please.

In this subtly argued book, the authors raise questions of critical importance for theoretical linguists of all persuasions.

About this title

From the Back Cover

In this book, the authors critically examine recent work in the Government and Binding framework developed by Chomsky, Rizzi, Lasnik and Saito, Huang, Aoun, and others. They demonstrate that this work encounters a variety of empirical and theoretical difficulties when confronted by an expanded range of data.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0226462048
• ISBN 13: 9780226462042
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 232