Aspects of the Theory of Syntax

Beginning in the mid-fifties and emanating largely from MIT, an approach was developed in linguistic theory and the study of the structure of languages that diverges in many respects from modern linguistics. Although this approach is connected to the traditional study of languages, it differs enough in its specific conclusions about the structure of language to warrant a name, "generative grammar." Various deficiencies have been discovered in the first attempts to formulate a theory of transformational generative grammar and in the descriptive analysis of the languages that motivated these formulations. At the same time, it has become apparent that these formulations can be extended and deepened. The major purpose of this book is to review these developments and to propose a reformulation of the theory of transformational generative grammar that takes them into account. The emphasis in this study is syntax; semantic and phonological aspects of the language structure are discussed only insofar as they bear on syntactic theory. -- Publisher description.… (more)