Lecture 8Lecture 8SyntaxSyntax

The Minimalist ProgramThe Minimalist Program

A PrefaceA Preface

Much current research in transformational Much current research in transformational grammar is inspired by Chomsky’s grammar is inspired by Chomsky’s Minimalist Minimalist ProgramProgram..

The The Minimalist ProgramMinimalist Program grew out of the perceived grew out of the perceived success of the success of the Principles and ParametersPrinciples and Parameters approach to grammatical competence.approach to grammatical competence.

The The Minimalist ProgramMinimalist Program attempts to simplify the attempts to simplify the theory of syntax.theory of syntax.

However, the However, the Minimalist ProgramMinimalist Program is still highly is still highly conceptual, and there is a wide range of conceptual, and there is a wide range of proposals which address syntactic problems in proposals which address syntactic problems in different ways.different ways.

Basic PrinciplesBasic Principles

Economy of Derivation:Economy of Derivation:

Movement (i.e. transformation) only occurs in Movement (i.e. transformation) only occurs in order to check features (case, agreement, order to check features (case, agreement, etc.).etc.).

Economy of Representation:Economy of Representation:

Grammatical structures must exist for a purpose.Grammatical structures must exist for a purpose. Uniformity in Derivation:Uniformity in Derivation:

Rules do not apply arbitrarily in a derivation, they Rules do not apply arbitrarily in a derivation, they apply throughout derivations.apply throughout derivations.

Main ObjectivesMain Objectives

Two of the main objectives of linguistic theories, Two of the main objectives of linguistic theories, the generative tradition in particular, are to attain:the generative tradition in particular, are to attain:-- descriptive adequacydescriptive adequacywhen the knowledge of speakers of each natural when the knowledge of speakers of each natural language is explicitly describedlanguage is explicitly describedOperationalized by requiring a definition of “well-Operationalized by requiring a definition of “well-formedness”formedness”-- explanatory adequacyexplanatory adequacywhen explaining how possible that people acquire when explaining how possible that people acquire languagelanguageOperationalized by requiring a characterization of Operationalized by requiring a characterization of “possible human language”“possible human language”

Description or ExplanationDescription or Explanation

Descriptive interest took priority, and Descriptive interest took priority, and explanatory adequacy was explanatory adequacy was shadowed.shadowed.

Many of the described phenomena Many of the described phenomena proved to be more complicated than proved to be more complicated than initially assumed.initially assumed.

A whole range of construction-A whole range of construction-specific and language-specific rule specific and language-specific rule systems were developed.systems were developed.

Principles and ParametersPrinciples and Parameters

Explanatory adequacy was revived in the Explanatory adequacy was revived in the Principles and ParametersPrinciples and Parameters approach. approach.

The assumption is that the theory of UG consists The assumption is that the theory of UG consists of principles and parameters.of principles and parameters.

Principles are language-independent and Principles are language-independent and construction-independent laws that apply to construction-independent laws that apply to every language.every language.

Parameters capture the differences between Parameters capture the differences between languages.languages.

The number of parameters and the number of The number of parameters and the number of values for each parameter are finite.values for each parameter are finite.

The Minimalist ProgramThe Minimalist Program

The Minimalist Program is the latest The Minimalist Program is the latest development in the Principles and development in the Principles and Parameters approach.Parameters approach.

It is minimal in the sense that explanatory It is minimal in the sense that explanatory adequacy is achieved by “minimizing” the adequacy is achieved by “minimizing” the theoretical apparatus.theoretical apparatus.

Every detail of the theory is reconsidered Every detail of the theory is reconsidered in a critical way and is eliminated unless it in a critical way and is eliminated unless it has a legitimate reason for existence.has a legitimate reason for existence.

The theory is kept as simple as possible.The theory is kept as simple as possible.

Levels of RepresentationLevels of Representation

Preceding versions of generative linguistic theory Preceding versions of generative linguistic theory assumed the existence of four levels of assumed the existence of four levels of representation:representation:

Phonetic Form (PF):Phonetic Form (PF):an abstract representation of soundan abstract representation of sound

Logical Form (LF):Logical Form (LF):an abstract representation of meaningan abstract representation of meaning

Deep Structure (D-Structure):Deep Structure (D-Structure):structure-independent (word) orderstructure-independent (word) order

Surface Structure (S-Structure):Surface Structure (S-Structure):structure-dependent (word) orderstructure-dependent (word) order

MinimizationMinimization

Only two levels of representation are Only two levels of representation are maintained in the minimalist approach:maintained in the minimalist approach:-- Phonetic Form (PF)Phonetic Form (PF)-- Logical Form (LF)Logical Form (LF)

D-Structure is eliminated by collapsing D-Structure is eliminated by collapsing phrase structure rules, lexical phrase structure rules, lexical insertion, and movementsinsertion, and movements..

S-Structure is replaced by S-Structure is replaced by Spell-OutSpell-Out..

DistinctionDistinction

What distinguishes the two pairs of What distinguishes the two pairs of representational levels from one another is that:representational levels from one another is that:

LF and PF are external levels.LF and PF are external levels.They feed into systems external to the syntactic They feed into systems external to the syntactic component.component.It is not possible to eliminate them.It is not possible to eliminate them.

D-Structure and S-Structure are internal levels.D-Structure and S-Structure are internal levels.They do not feed into systems external to the They do not feed into systems external to the syntactic component.syntactic component.They can be eliminated.They can be eliminated.

Word Order Word Order

Within the Minimalist Program, word order Within the Minimalist Program, word order variation is derived by movement.variation is derived by movement.

Constituents, such as verbs, are moved from Constituents, such as verbs, are moved from one position to another in the syntactic one position to another in the syntactic representation of a sentence.representation of a sentence.

In earlier version of syntactic theory, word In earlier version of syntactic theory, word order differences between languages were order differences between languages were managed by the theory of phrase managed by the theory of phrase structure.structure.

The relative order of constituents is not The relative order of constituents is not universally fixed.universally fixed.

Parametric VariationParametric Variation

a.a. XPXP (Specifier) X’(Specifier) X’

b.b. X’X’ X (Complement)X (Complement) In earlier version of syntactic theory, In earlier version of syntactic theory,

the relative order is subject to the relative order is subject to parametric variation:parametric variation:

-- (SOV-languages)(SOV-languages)

-- (SVO-languages)(SVO-languages)

Universality of Phrase Universality of Phrase StructureStructure

Within the minimalist framework, Within the minimalist framework, sentences in all languages have the same sentences in all languages have the same phrase structure, consisting of:phrase structure, consisting of:-- a lexical domain (VP) anda lexical domain (VP) and-- a functional domain:a functional domain:CP (Complementizer Phrase),CP (Complementizer Phrase),AgrSP (Agreement Phrase for the Subject),AgrSP (Agreement Phrase for the Subject),TP (Tense Phrase), andTP (Tense Phrase), andAgrOP (Agreement Phrase for the Object)AgrOP (Agreement Phrase for the Object)

Universality of Phrase Universality of Phrase StructureStructure

The lexical domain is the locus of insertion The lexical domain is the locus of insertion of the verb and its arguments.of the verb and its arguments.

These are inserted in fully inflected form These are inserted in fully inflected form (stem plus inflectional affixes).(stem plus inflectional affixes).

The functional projections are occupied by The functional projections are occupied by features associated with inflectional features associated with inflectional morphology.morphology.

The lexical elements move to the The lexical elements move to the functional domain to check their features.functional domain to check their features.

Universality of Phrase Universality of Phrase StructureStructure

Follow the feature checking process of the verb ‘loves’ in the Follow the feature checking process of the verb ‘loves’ in the English sentence:English sentence:She loves babies.She loves babies.

AgrSAgrS TT

AgrOAgrO

VV

lovesloves

Universality of Phrase Universality of Phrase StructureStructure

Follow the feature checking process of the subject Follow the feature checking process of the subject ‘she’ in the English sentence:‘she’ in the English sentence:She loves babies.She loves babies.

NPNP Left-daughter of AgrSPLeft-daughter of AgrSP Left-daughter of TPLeft-daughter of TP

shesheLeft-daughter of VPLeft-daughter of VP

Universality of Phrase Universality of Phrase StructureStructure

In the minimalist framework, In the minimalist framework, movement takes care of word order movement takes care of word order differences between languages.differences between languages.

An additional mechanism to derive An additional mechanism to derive word order is considered redundant.word order is considered redundant.

Redundancy is a valid reason for Redundancy is a valid reason for illegitimacy.illegitimacy.

Universality of MovementUniversality of Movement

Within the minimalist approach, Within the minimalist approach, possible movements are universal.possible movements are universal.

Hence, a given constituent has to Hence, a given constituent has to cover the same path through the cover the same path through the tree in all languages.tree in all languages.

A constituent always travels from its A constituent always travels from its position of lexical insertion low in the position of lexical insertion low in the tree to its Logical Form (LF) higher tree to its Logical Form (LF) higher up.up.

Universality of MovementUniversality of Movement

The subject she:The subject she:-- gets inserted in the lexical domain (VP)gets inserted in the lexical domain (VP)-- moves to the functional projection moves to the functional projection (AgrSP) via (TP)(AgrSP) via (TP)

The verb loves:The verb loves:-- gets inserted in the lexical domain (VP)gets inserted in the lexical domain (VP)-- moves to the functional projection moves to the functional projection (AgrSP) via (AgrOP) and (TP)(AgrSP) via (AgrOP) and (TP)

Spell-OutSpell-Out

The position where a constituent is pronounced is The position where a constituent is pronounced is somewhere between the position of its lexical somewhere between the position of its lexical insertion and that of the Logical Form (LF).insertion and that of the Logical Form (LF).

The pronunciation position may coincide with:The pronunciation position may coincide with:-- position of lexical insertionposition of lexical insertion-- position of LF, orposition of LF, or-- bothboth

Pronunciation is determined by the rule Spell-Out.Pronunciation is determined by the rule Spell-Out. Since languages differ in word order, they may Since languages differ in word order, they may

differ as to the point in the derivation where Spell-differ as to the point in the derivation where Spell-Out applies.Out applies.

Merge and MoveMerge and Move

In the Minimalist Program, movements, In the Minimalist Program, movements, phrase structure rules, and lexical phrase structure rules, and lexical insertion are combined in the structure-insertion are combined in the structure-building operations Merge and Move.building operations Merge and Move.

Merge is a structure-building operation Merge is a structure-building operation that builds trees in a bottom-up fashion.that builds trees in a bottom-up fashion.

Move is an operation that moves a tree Move is an operation that moves a tree within a tree.within a tree.

Summing upSumming up

In the Minimalist Program, two interface levels are In the Minimalist Program, two interface levels are recognized: the PF and the LF.recognized: the PF and the LF.

A grammatical utterance is associated with the pair {PF1, A grammatical utterance is associated with the pair {PF1, LF1} when licensed by grammar.LF1} when licensed by grammar.

The structure-building operations of Merge and Move The structure-building operations of Merge and Move proceeds until the derivations of PF and LF diverge.proceeds until the derivations of PF and LF diverge.

Certain syntactic features must be checked before Spell-Certain syntactic features must be checked before Spell-Out for phonological well-formedness.Out for phonological well-formedness.

A derivation yields a legitimate structural description at LF A derivation yields a legitimate structural description at LF only if that structural description is made entirely of only if that structural description is made entirely of “legitimate” objects.“legitimate” objects.

The economy condition necessitates that all movement The economy condition necessitates that all movement operations be required to check a feature.operations be required to check a feature.

Only the most “economical” is an acceptable derivation.Only the most “economical” is an acceptable derivation.

Assignment for next weekAssignment for next week

SemanticsSemantics