This course is a graduate-level introduction to syntactic theory. We will explore the underlying mental systems that allow human beings to organize words (and parts of words) into larger phrases. Through a variety of issues and a large amount of data, we will observe the common principles and points of variation in syntactic structure across languages and see how such patterns may be formally represented. Basic concepts and problems that have shaped the field of syntax will be introduced, and you will begin to learn how to solve syntactic puzzles and the mechanics of how to capture these issues within the Government & Binding approach to syntax. You will also learn how to build argumentation from empirical facts for writing research papers in syntax.
Prerequisite: Ling 5001, or Ling 3001/3001H, or 4201, or instructor permission
Gopher Grades is maintained by Social Coding with data from Summer 2017 to Summer 2026 provided by the University in response to a public records request