The Syntax-Morphology Interface: A Study of Syncretism

Syncretism--where a single form serves two or more morphosyntactic functions--is a persistent problem at the syntax-morphology interface. It results from a 'mismatch', whereby the syntax of a language makes a particular distinction, but the morphology does not. This pioneering book provides the first full-length study of inflectional syncretism, presenting a typology of its occurrence across a wide range of languages. It will be welcomed by linguists interested in the relation between words and the larger units of which they are a part.

Matthew Baerman is Research Fellow in Linguistics at the University of Surrey.

Dunstan Brown investigates autonomous morphology, morphology-syntax interaction, and typology. His recent work has focused on describing and understanding different aspects of morphological complexity. After graduating with a BA in Modern Languages and a Master of Linguistics from the University of Manchester, he completed a PhD in Linguistics at the University of Surrey and worked there for many years before taking up a 50th Anniversary Chair at the University of York in 2012.

Greville G. Corbett is Distinguished Professor of Linguistics at the University of Surrey.