
Questions of Syntax
Richard S. Kayne(Author)
Oxford University Press Inc
Published on 9. May 2019
Book
Paperback/Softback
448 pages
978-0-19-086359-3 (ISBN)
Description
There are far more syntactically distinct languages than we might have thought; yet there are far fewer than there might have been. Questions of Syntax collects sixteen papers authored by Richard S. Kayne, a preeminent theoretical syntactician, who has sought over the course of his career to understand why both these facts are true.
With a particular emphasis on comparative syntax, these chapters collectively consider how wide a range of questions the field of syntax can reasonably attempt to ask and then answer. At issue, among other topics, are the relation between syntax and (certain aspects of) semantics, the relation between syntax and what appear to be lexical questions, the relation between syntax and morphology, the relation between syntax and certain aspects of phonology (insofar as silent elements and their properties play a substantial role), and the extent to which comparative syntax can provide new and decisive evidence bearing on these different kinds of questions. To Kayne, comparative syntax can shed light on what may initially seem lexical questions, and antisymmetry on the evolution of human language itself.
Taken as a whole, these essays elucidate the theoretical contributions of one the most influential scholars in linguistics.
With a particular emphasis on comparative syntax, these chapters collectively consider how wide a range of questions the field of syntax can reasonably attempt to ask and then answer. At issue, among other topics, are the relation between syntax and (certain aspects of) semantics, the relation between syntax and what appear to be lexical questions, the relation between syntax and morphology, the relation between syntax and certain aspects of phonology (insofar as silent elements and their properties play a substantial role), and the extent to which comparative syntax can provide new and decisive evidence bearing on these different kinds of questions. To Kayne, comparative syntax can shed light on what may initially seem lexical questions, and antisymmetry on the evolution of human language itself.
Taken as a whole, these essays elucidate the theoretical contributions of one the most influential scholars in linguistics.
Reviews / Votes
A new essay by Richard Kayne is invariably an exciting moment for students of language. Each is a gem, scrupulously executed, with challenging insights. This collection is a landmark contribution by a scholar with unique achievements and impact on the discipline. * Noam Chomsky, Laureate Professor of Linguistics, University of Arizona * In this book, Richard Kayne, the leading pioneer in the art of comparing languages, does not only offer illuminating insights on core syntactic phenomena; by dissecting what there is, he uncovers what there could be and by doing so he shows us how a powerful theory can guide the analysis. A true landmark in the fascinating enterprise of characterising the class of possible human languages. * Andrea Moro, Professor of General Linguistics at the Institute for Advanced Study (IUSS), Pavia, Italy * Another impressive collection of articles by one of today's most influential linguists, who has opened entirely new areas of research. In this volume he presents new developments concerning linear order, comparative syntax, and the role of silent elements. Truly inspiring. * Guglielmo Cinque, Professor of Linguistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
751 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-086359-3 (9780190863593)
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Richard S. Kayne
Questions of Syntax
Book
05/2019
Oxford University Press Inc
€176.40
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Person
Richard S. Kayne is Silver Professor of Linguistics at New York University. He received an A.B. in mathematics from Columbia College and a Ph.D in linguistics from M.I.T. He subsequently taught at the University of Paris VIII, at M.I.T., and at the CUNY Graduate Center. He has three honorary degrees and has previously published four collections of papers and two other books.
Author
Silver Professor of LinguisticsSilver Professor of Linguistics, New York University
Content
Preface
Acknowledgements Section A. Comparative Syntax
Chapter 1 More Languages Than We Might Have Thought. Fewer Languages Than There Might Have Been
Chapter 2 Comparative Syntax
Chapter 3 Comparative Syntax and English Is To
Chapter 4 Having Need and Needing Have (with Stephanie Harves) Section B. Silent Elements
Chapter 5 The Silence of Heads
Chapter 6 A Note on Some Even More Unusual Relative Clauses
Chapter 7 The Unicity of There and the Definiteness Effect
Chapter 8 Notes on French and English Demonstratives (with Jean-Yves Pollock)
Chapter 9 Some Thoughts on One and Two and Other Numerals
Chapter 10 English One and Ones as Complex Determiners
Chapter 11 Once and Twice
Chapter 12 A Note on Grand and its Silent Entourage Section C. Ordering and Doubling
Chapter 13 Why Are There No Directionality Parameters?
Chapter 14 Toward a Syntactic Reinterpretation of Harris and Halle (2005)
Chapter 15 Locality and Agreement in French Hyper-Complex Inversion (with Jean-Yves Pollock)
Chapter 16 Clitic Doubling and Agreement in French Hyper-Complex Inversion Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements Section A. Comparative Syntax
Chapter 1 More Languages Than We Might Have Thought. Fewer Languages Than There Might Have Been
Chapter 2 Comparative Syntax
Chapter 3 Comparative Syntax and English Is To
Chapter 4 Having Need and Needing Have (with Stephanie Harves) Section B. Silent Elements
Chapter 5 The Silence of Heads
Chapter 6 A Note on Some Even More Unusual Relative Clauses
Chapter 7 The Unicity of There and the Definiteness Effect
Chapter 8 Notes on French and English Demonstratives (with Jean-Yves Pollock)
Chapter 9 Some Thoughts on One and Two and Other Numerals
Chapter 10 English One and Ones as Complex Determiners
Chapter 11 Once and Twice
Chapter 12 A Note on Grand and its Silent Entourage Section C. Ordering and Doubling
Chapter 13 Why Are There No Directionality Parameters?
Chapter 14 Toward a Syntactic Reinterpretation of Harris and Halle (2005)
Chapter 15 Locality and Agreement in French Hyper-Complex Inversion (with Jean-Yves Pollock)
Chapter 16 Clitic Doubling and Agreement in French Hyper-Complex Inversion Bibliography
Index