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Department of Linguistics

Intermediate Syntax

Course Code:
152900032
Unit value:
0.5
Year of study:
Year 2
Taught in:
Term 1

Prerequisites

Introduction to Grammatical Structure

Objectives and learning outcomes of the course

Learning outcomes for the course include: 

  • familiarity with the ideas and principles of generative grammar
  • a knowledge of the motivation for the basic architecture of LFG 
  • a basic knowledge of LFG analysis; an ability to use formal reasoning 
  • an ability to apply syntactic analysis to a range of languages

Workload

Total of 10 weeks teaching with 2 hours classroom contact per week.

Scope and syllabus

This course focuses on the principles of generative grammar and syntactic analysis, with a view to understanding the motivation for the framework of Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) in particular. The course will have a strong empirical component using data from languages other than English, and will consider a variety of constructions from a cross-linguistic perspective. The course will also address some of the similarities and differences between LFG and other approaches to syntactic theory.

Method of assessment

One two-hour written examination (60%) taken in May/June and 1 essay of 2,500 - 3,000 words (40%) to be submitted on the first day of the term after that in which the course is taught.

Suggested reading

  • Carnie, Andrew. 2007. Syntax. A Generative Introduction. 2nd Ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
  • Kroeger, Paul. 2004. Analysing Syntax. A Lexical-Functional Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.