SYNTAX 18-19

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COURSE DESCRIPTION
SYNTAX: COURSE DESCRIPTION     

2 HOURS/WEEK

CONTENT SUMMARY:

The course is largely an introduction to the field of syntax within the Government and Binding
approach as developed by Noam Chomsky in the early 1980s and subsequent developments
thereof.     

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The course aims at enabling the student to :      

a- gain a good understanding of the concepts of the  GB-framework ;

b- learn how to do data analysis problems drawn from English and other languages using the
conceptual

tools of the aforementioned framework ;           

c- have an idea about the recent developments in the field ;

d- read fairly sophisticated books and articles in  the field ; discuss their readings with a fairly
critical

            mind, and bring in their own contribution.

COURSE CONTENT:

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Course: SYNTAX 18-19

1- Introduction: The Chomskyan perspectives on language studies;

2- The lexicon and sentence structure;

3- Phrase structure;

4- Case theory;

5- Anaphoric relations and overt NPs;

6- Non-overt categories: PRO and Control;

7- Move- a: NP-Movement, WH-Movement, and

8- An inventory of empty categories;

TEACHING METHOD:

Lectures, data analysis problems and in-class tests whenever necessary. The students will also be
required to give talks on the topics handled in class. They will also be required to submit written
reports on their preliminary readings.

TEXTBOOK:

The course will be primarily based on HAEGEMAN (1991); however, handouts will be frequently
distributed. Besides the above reference, students are recommended to consult the other references
listed below : HAEGEMAN, Lillian (1991) INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNMENT AND
BINDING THEORY. Oxford, England: Basil Blackwell LTD.   

RADFORD, Andrew (1981) TRANSFORMATIONAL SYNTAX. Cambridge, England: CUP.

_________________(1988) TRANSFORMATIONAL GRAMMAR. Cambridge England: CUP.

RIEMSDIJK, Henk van and Edwin WILLIAMS (1986) INTRODUCTION TO THE THEORY
OF GRAMMAR. London, England: The MIT Press.

EXAMINATION:

A Comprehensive examination consisting of essay questions and data analysis problems.

TTHE GOALS OF LINGUISTIC THEORY

In this first section of the course, the students are introduced to ome basic notions int he field of

http://ead-fl.uit.ac.ma/course/view.php?id=688&lang=en[09-May-19 3:14:26 PM]

Course: SYNTAX 18-19

syntax and also to what students of language seek in their study of language.

The Goals of Linguistic Theory

The handout for what has been presented in class on this topic.

THE CHOMSKYAN ENTREPRISE

This section will give the students a flavour of what motivates the kind of research in syntax as
carried à la Chomsky. The sudent is asked this very interesting intrduction to the tradition.

Reading 2.7MB Document PDF

The students are asked to read this extract which informally introduces what makes up
the Chomskyan tradition in syntax.

THE LEXICON AND SENTENCE

STRUCTURE
In this hapter, the students are going to be reminded of the relationship that holds between the
lexiccal item and the structure of a sentence. At first, attention will be giving to a proper
understanding of how to formally represent a sentence in an attempt to show the kind of relationship
holding among its different constituents. Then we will start having a loo at an account as to how
words have a say on what makes up a setence and what could be the nature of the constituents of a
sentence. We will use a reading as a basic reference but it will ot be the only one that is going to be
used. 

Reading

The student are asked to read this extract before we can start covering the topic of this
chapter.

02- THE LEXICON AND SENTENCE STRUCTURE 1MB Document PDF

02- THE LEXICON AND SENTENCE STRUCTURE

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Course: SYNTAX 18-19

TOPIC 4

TOPIC 5

TOPIC 6

TOPIC 7

TOPIC 8

TOPIC 9

TOPIC 10