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LING 509: Syntactic Theory III |
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Course Description:
This course focuses on recent developments in Chomsky’s Minimalist Program, in particular on the concept of a phase. The questions we will ask (and hopefully, answer) are:
- How do we define phases? - What are the empirical and conceptual arguments in favor of phases? - What categories count as phases? - Do passive and unaccusative vPs count as phases? - Do DPs count as phases? - Is there any crosslinguistic variation with respect to phasehood? - Do the same categories count as phases with respect to PF and LF considerations?
Go-Post: In order to facilitate discussion outside of class, I have established the E-Post message board for this class. Take advantage of this useful resource!
Course Outline (for more details, see the syllabus):
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Week |
Date |
Topic |
Readings ( to be completed before class)
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Hw (due in class) |
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I |
3/30 |
Background on Phases
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Cook, V.J. and M. Newson. 2007. Chomsky’s Universal Grammar. (Chapter 8, pp. 271-309)
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4/1 |
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Hornstein, N., J. Nunes, and K. Grohmann. 2005. Understanding Minimalism (Chapter 10, pp. 330-365)
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II |
4/6 |
Chomsky on Phases
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Chomsky, N. 2004. Beyond Explanatory Adequacy. In: Belletti, A. (Ed.), Structures and Beyond: The Cartography of Syntactic Structures, Volume 3. Oxford University Press, pp. 104-191.
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4/8 |
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Chomsky, N. 2007. On Phases. In: Freidin, R., Otero, C, and Zubizarreta, M.L (Eds.): Foundational Issues in Linguistic Theory. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 133-166.
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III |
4/13 |
Phases at Work |
Richards, M. 2007. ‘On Feature Inheritance: An Argument from the Phase Impenetrability Condition, Linguistic Inquiry 38: 563-572 (available electronically through the library) |
Hw 1 due |
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4/15 |
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Felser, C. 2004. ‘Wh-copying, Phases and Successive Cyclicity’, Lingua 114(5): 543–574. (available electronically through the library) |
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IV |
4/20 |
Passives and Unaccusatives as Phases?
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Legate, J. A. 2003. ‘Some Interface Properties of the Phase’, Linguistic Inquiry 34(3), 506–516. (available electronically through the library) |
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4/22 |
DPs as Phases?
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Matushansky, O. 2005. Going through a phase. In Martha McGinnis and Norvin Richards (eds.), Perspectives on Phases. MIT Working Papers in Linguistics 49. MITWPL. |
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V |
4/27 |
Applicatives as Phases? |
McGinnis, M. 2001. Variation in the Phase Structure of Applicatives. Linguistic Variation Yearbook 1: 105-146.
Downloadable HERE
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Hw 2 due |
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4/29 |
Applicatives Continued |
McGinnis, M. 2005. UTAH at Merge: evidence from multiple applicatives. In MITWPL 49: Perspectives on Phases, ed. Martha McGinnis and Norvin Richards, 183-200. MIT Working Papers in Linguistics.
Downloadable HERE
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VI |
5/4 |
Student Presentations
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5/6 |
Dynamic Phases?
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Den Dikken, M. 2007. ‘Phase Extension. Contours of a Theory of the Role of Head Movement in Phrasal Extraction’, Theoretical Linguistics 33(1), 1–42. (available electronically through the library) |
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VII |
5/11 |
Dynamic Phases Continued
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Responses to Den Dikken 2007 (brief presentations) (available electronically through the library) |
Hw 3 due |
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5/13 |
Non-simultaneous Phases |
Marušič, F. 2009. Non-simultaneous spell-out in clausal and nominal domain. To appear in K. Grohmann (ed) Interphases. Oxford: OUP. pp. 151-181. |
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VIII |
5/18 |
Non-simultaneous phases |
Marušič, F. 2009. If non-simultaneous spell-out exists, this is what it can explain. In Merging features, edited by J. Brucart, A. Gavarro, and J. Sola. Oxford: OUP. pp. 175-193.
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5/20 |
Phase Sliding |
Gallego, A. and J. Uriagereka. 2006. ‘Sub-extraction from Subjects: A Phase Theory Account’.
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IX |
5/25 |
No class: Memorial Day |
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5/27 |
Phase Sliding |
Gallego, A. 2005. ‘Phase Sliding’. Ms, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. (pages 1-35) |
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X |
6/1 |
Student Presentations |
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6/3 |
Dissenting View(s) |
Boeckx, C and K. Grohmann. 2007. Remark: Putting phases in perspective. Syntax 10(2); 204-222. (available electronically through the library) |
Hw 4 due |
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6/10
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Final Papers Due |
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