Formal syntax
(3rd module of the 2014–2015 academic year)
Instructor: Alexander Podobryaev
This class is intended to provide an introduction to the formal study of the natural language
syntax. Since the 1950s, syntactic theory has been the cornerstone of theoretical linguistics,
especially within the “generative” tradition. Hierarchical syntactic structures have proven
useful in analyzing various linguistic phenomena, ranging from sentence prosody to
pronominal reference. In class, we will go through the major advances of modern syntactic
theory and evaluate its potential and limitations.
We will be mostly concerned with the so-called minimalist syntactic theory (Chomsky 1993
and subsequent work), but we will also take a quick look at competing theories such LFG
(Lexical Functional Grammar: Bresnan 2001, i.a.), HPSG (Head-driven Phrase Structure
Grammar, Pollard and Sag 1994 and subsequent work) and “Simpler Syntax” (Culicover and
Jackendoff 2005).
The enrolled students will have access to contemporary research articles so that they can get
used to the style of argumentation and as well as to the use of different syntactic formalisms.
We will pay particular attention to the explanatory power of formal syntax and the
applicability of its methodology to the study of typologically diverse languages.
In the best-case scenario, by the end of this class, the students should be able to read and
critically assess current syntactic literature, as well as to apply their knowledge of the
essentials of formal syntax to various research problems in both theoretical and
computational linguistics.
Selected readings
Carnie, A. (2003) Syntax: A generative introduction. Third edition. Oxford: Blackwell.
Austin, P., and J. Bresnan (1996) “Non-configurationality in Australian Aboriginal
Languages”. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 14.2, 215–268.
Bresnan, J. (2001). Lexical Functional Syntax. Oxford: Blackwell.
Chomsky, N. (1993) "A minimalist program for linguistic theory". In Hale, K. L. and S. J.
Keyser (eds.) The view from Building 20: Essays in linguistics in honor of Sylvain
Bromberger. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1–52.
Culicover, P. and R. Jackendoff (2005) Simpler Syntax. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hale, K. L. (1983) “Warlpiri and the grammar of non-configurational languages”. Natural
Language and Linguistic Theory 1.1, 5–47.
Legate, J. A. (2001) “The configurational structure of a nonconfigurational language.”
Linguistic Variation Yearbook 1, 63–99.
Pollard, C., and I. Sag (1994) Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar. Chicago: University
of Chicago Press.
Sag, I, Wasow, T., and E. Bender (2003) Syntactic Theory: a formal introduction, Second
Edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.