English Syntax and Argumentation (Macmillan Modern Linguistics) - Softcover

Aarts, Bas

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9781137605795: English Syntax and Argumentation (Macmillan Modern Linguistics)

Synopsis

Written by a leading authority on the subject, the fifth edition of this bestselling book provides students with a thorough grounding in the essentials of sentence structure and the fundamentals of syntactic argumentation.

Divided into four parts, it begins by examining the basic concepts that underpin the study of syntax, before moving on to more complex issues. The first part introduces the foundations of syntax, namely clauses and sentences; the second looks at the internal structure of phrases and the bridge between syntax and semantics; the third deals with syntactic argumentation; and the fourth focuses on argumentation and its application. Chapters feature clear explanations of technical terms, easy-to-follow examples and interactive exercises to illustrate key ideas.

This theoretically-neutral text will be core reading for all students of English, Linguistics and Applied Linguistics who are encountering the study of syntax for the first time.


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About the Author

Bas Aarts is Professor of English Linguistics and Director of the Survey of English Usage at University College London, UK. His research interest is in the field of syntax, more specifically verbal syntax. His recent publications include: Syntactic gradience (2007, OUP), Oxford modern English grammar (2011, OUP), The English verb phrase (2013, edited with J. Close, G. Leech and S. Wallis, CUP), Oxford dictionary of English Grammar (2nd edition 2014; edited with S. Chalker and E. Weiner, OUP), as well as articles in books and journals. He is a founding editor of the journal English Language and Linguistics (CUP).

From the Back Cover

How can we go about describing the structure of sentences? What do we learn from analysing language in this way? This book examines the nuts and bolts of English syntax in an accessible way.

Now in its fifth edition, English Syntax and Argumentation remains a student favourite. The book starts with a discussion of the basic concepts that are important in the study of syntax, and then moves on to more complex issues. Each chapter carefully explains technical terms and uses graphic illustrations alongside easy-to-follow examples and 'hands-on' exercises to illuminate key ideas. 

From words and phrases to constituency and argumentation – and now with a chapter on information structuring – the book's broad coverage and clear organisation make it essential reading for all students of English and Linguistics who are encountering the study of syntax for the first time.

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