The Syntax and Semantics of Split Constructions
A Comparative Study
Published on 7. April 2004
XII, 223 pages
978-0-230-50160-7 (ISBN)
Description
Split constructions are very widespread in natural languages. The separation of the semantic restriction of a quantifier from that quantifier is a typical example of such a construction. This study addresses the problem that such discontinuous strings exhibit a number of locality constraints, including intervention effects. These are shown to follow from the interaction of a minimalist syntax with a semantics that directly assigns a model-theoretic interpretation to syntactic logical forms. The approach is shown to have wide empirical coverage and a conceptual simplicity. The book will be of interest to scholars and advanced students of syntax and semantics.
Reviews / Votes
'Butler and Mathieu argue persuasively that many apparently far-flung
constructions belong together under the rubric of 'split construction'.
Their generalizations are provocative and well-supported, and the theory
is firmly grounded in Predicate Logic with Barriers, a dynamic logic that
provides a fresh perspective on ideas and generalizations that have been,
and continue to be, central to syntactic and semantic theory.' - Christopher Potts, Department of Linguistics, University of Massachusetts
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04/2004
Palgrave Macmillan
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Persons
ALASTAIR BUTLER is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Formal Language Games Research Group at the Institute for Logic, Language and Information, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. His research interests are topics in natural language syntax and semantics.
ERIC MATHIEU is an affiliated Researcher in the Department of Phonetics and Linguistics at University College, London. His work is on the syntax-semantics interface.
ERIC MATHIEU is an affiliated Researcher in the Department of Phonetics and Linguistics at University College, London. His work is on the syntax-semantics interface.
Content
Introduction WH Constructions Negative Constructions Interfacing Syntax and Semantics The Account Appendix Notes Bibliography Language Index Name Index Subject Index
