LNGN 300: Syntax
(Fall 2014)
Class hours: Monday & Thursday 2:30pm-3:45pm
Classroom: University Hall 2032
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
Dr. Longxing Wei
Schmitt Hall 240D
973-655-7501
weil@mail.montclair.edu
Office hours: Monday 1:00pm-2:00pm, 4:00pm-5:00pm
Thursday 4:00pm-5:00pm
Or by appointment
Required textbook: Cowper, Elizabeth A. 1992.
A Concise Introduction to Syntactic Theory: The Government-Binding
Approach
Course description:
This course offers an introduction to the version of generative syntax usually referred to as
Government and Binding (GB) Theory, which is commonly recognized as one of the major
schools in theoretical syntax. The course emphasizes the basic principles of GB and its analytical
methods for describing sentence structure at various levels.
Course objectives:
Upon completing the course, students should be able to:
1. read the primary literature and understand the basic principles of GB;
2. analyze sentence structure at various levels;
3. explain syntactic solutions to natural language data problems.
Course requirements and policies:
1. Exercises: a minimum of 8 exercise assignments. Late assignments are penalized one letter
grade for each weekday elapsed after the due date. All assignments must be submitted as a
condition for passing the course, even if too many days have elapsed for the assignment to
receive a passing grade.
2. Tests: a minimum of 4 in-class or take-home tests. Students must be responsible for each test
to be given on the announced date. There is no make-up for the missing or deficient test. The
missing test is assigned a grade of F and counts toward the test average.
3. Exam: a take-home final exam. There is no make-up for the final exam. The missing exam is
assigned a grade of F.
4. Students must be responsible for their absences and the sequential course work.
1
Evaluation and grading:
The exercise assignment average, the test average, and each exam count toward the final course
grade. Failure to fulfill any of the course requirements will result in a final grade of “F”. Class
participation (in-class discussion, performance and activities) is included in the evaluation of the
student’s course work.
8 exercise assignments
4 tests
Final exam
Class participation
50%
20%
20%
10%
Exercises, tests, and exams are graded based on the following letter scale:
A 100-93, A- 92-90, B+ 89-86, B 85-83, B- 82-80, C+ 79-76, C 75-73, C- 72-70,
D+ 69-66, D 65-60, F 59-
Tentative Weekly Syllabus
Note: 1. Each exercise assignment is due on the class day of the following week.
2. If necessary, the instructor will select only certain sections or parts of a listed chapter
and announce them in advance.
3. The following schedule is subject to change with prior notice as class needs dictate.
Week 1 (Sept. 4)
Introduction to the course
Chapter 1: The Theory in Context
Week 2 (Sept. 8-11)
Chapter 2: Categories and Phrase Structure
Week 3 (Sept. 15-18)
Chapter 2 (continued)
Exercise assignment 1
Week 4 (Sept. 22-25)
Chapter 3: Thematic Relations and θ-Roles
Week 5 (Sept. 29-Oct. 2)
Chapter 3 (continued)
Exercise assignment 2
Test 1
Week 6 (Oct. 6-9)
Chapter 4: Predicting Phrase Structure
Exercise assignment 3
Week 7 (Oct. 13-16)
Chapter 5: NP-Movement
Week 8 (Oct. 20-23)
Chapter 5 (continued)
Exercise assignment 4
2
Test 2
Week 9 (Oct. 27-30)
Chapter 6: Government and Case
Exercise assignment 5
Week 10 (Nov. 3-6)
Chapter 6 (continued)
Week 11 (Nov. 10-13)
Chapter 6 (continued)
Exercise assignment 6
Test 3
Week 12 (Nov. 17-20)
Chapter 7: WH-Movement
Week 13 (Nov. 24)
Chapter 7 (continued)
Exercise assignment 7
Nov. 27-30
Thanksgiving Holiday (No classes)
Week 14 (Dec. 1-4)
Chapter 7 (continued)
Exercise assignment 8
Test 4
Week 15 (Dec. 8-11)
General review
Final exam due by 5:00pm on Dec. 15
3