Word Order and Interpretation
Code
711131062
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Linguística
Credits
6
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) to relate different word orders crosslinguistically with parametric differences;
b) to understand the relation between structures with changes in the basic word order and patterns of information structure;
c) to master descriptive tools for the analysis of syntactic structures with changes in basic word order;
d) to consider critically different theoretical proposals concerning the studied topics, providing arguments in favor or against specific analyses of the topics.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
1. The architecture of grammar
2. Basic and derived word orders
3. Structures with derived word orders
3.1. typology of movements
3.2. restrictions on movement
3.3. analysis of specific structures:
3.3.1. personal and impersonal passives
3.3.2. raising structures
3.3.3. interrogatives (wh- and yes-no questions)
3.3.4. relatives
4. Word order and information structure
4.1. post-verbal subjects
4.2. topicalization structures
4.3. focusing structures
Bibliography
Baltin, Mark & C. Collins, eds. 2001. The Handbook of Contemporary Syntactic Theory. Blackwell.
Culicover, Peter W. 1997. Principles and Parameters: An Introduction to the Theory of Government and Binding and Its Extensions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Haegeman, Liliane. 1994. Introduction to Government and Binding Theory. 2nd edition. Oxford. Blackwell.
Mateus, Maria Helena et al. 2003. Gramática da Língua Portuguesa. Lisboa: Caminho, 5ª edição.
Raposo, E. 1992. Teoria da Gramática. A Faculdade da Linguagem. Lisboa: Editorial Caminho
Roberts, Ian. 1996. Comparative Syntax. Oxford. Blackwell.
Serão ainda incluídos artigos relacionados com os tópicos abordados.
Teaching method
Classes include expository sessions, discussion of readings and data analysis. Students will be encouraged to think critically about data and evaluate theoretical proposals.
Evaluation method
The evaluation foresees 3 problem solving assignments (30%), 2 written tests - midterm and final - (60%) and participation in class with the discussion of readings and data analysis (10%).