| Week
1- 2 |
Chapter 1 Generative
Grammar |
- Syntax as science (as part of cognitive science)
- The scientific method. Formulating, testing
and revising hypotheses.
- The scientific method in Linguistics illustrated:
the distribution of English anaphors. Here you
will be able to strengthen your understanding
of basic concepts such as pronouns, anaphors
and referential expressions as well as Number,
Gender, Person; Case.
- Prescriptive & descriptive rules.
- Language (I-language) vs language (E-language)
- Data sources. Intuitions, corpora.
- Language universals & variation across
languages. Parameters.
- Evaluating theories of syntax: levels of
adequacy.
|
| Chapter
2 - Fundamentals: Rules, Trees, and Parts of Speech |
- Revision of basic notions of constituency
and constituent tests.
- Phrase structure rules. Tree diagrams.
- Parts of speech classified on basis of distribution.
|
| Week 3-4 |
Chapter 3 - Structural
Relations |
- The internal organisation of trees. Structural
relations within trees: concepts of dominance,
precedence, and c-command.
- A structural definition of Subject and Object.
- Some basic concepts & terminology:
Clauses: Matrix (main) clause vs embedded (subordinate)
clause.
Grammatical functions vs. grammatical categories.
|
| Weeks 5-6: |
Chapter 4
- Binding Theory |
- Three types of nominals and ways in which
nominals get their reference. Distribution of
Anaphors, Pronouns and their antecedents. Referring-expressions.
- Three principles governing the interpretation
of Noun Phrases.
Binding theory and locality.
- Basic concepts & terminology: Pronouns
and anaphors. Antecedents and binding relationships
|
| Weeks 7-10: |
Chapters
5 & 6 - X-Bar theory Week
7: In-course test:
Week 9: In-course essay due.
|
- Similarities across phrase types: the claim
that all phrase types can be analysed as consisting
of heads, complements, adjuncts, specifiers.
- Three new phrase types: Determiner phrase,
Tense phrase, Complementiser phrase.
|
| Weeks 11-12:
|
Chapter 7 - Theta
Theory |
- Argument structure; Theta assigner; Theta
roles.
- Subcategorisation.
- Basic concepts & terminology: Transitive,
intransitive, ditransitive clauses.
Expletives and the Extended Projection Principle.
Passive voice.
- Introduction to Movement transformations:
WH-questions.
|
| Week 13: |
Course revision. |
