Main description:
In recent years, word order has come to be seen, within a Government Binding/Minimalist framework, as determined by functional as well as lexical categories. Within this framework, functional categories are often seen as present in every language without evidence being available in that language. This book contains arguments that even though Universal Grammar makes functional categories available, the language learner must decide whether or not to incorporate them in his or her grammar. For instance, it is shown that English has one (not two as often assumed) functional category between the complementizer and the Negation, but that languages such as Dutch, Swedish, German and Old and Middle English have none. The title of the book can be seen in terms of the direction current research is taking; it can also be seen in terms of the changes that have taken place in English.
Table of contents:
- Preface
- Introduction
- The Functional Category T in English
- Languages without a special Node for Tense
- The Introduction of a Tense Node
- Tense in Non-Finite Clauses
- Feature Selection
- AGRsP and Agreement Features
- Functional Categories between Neg and VP
- Aspect
- Conclusion
- Notes
- References
- References Index
- General Index
In recent years, word order has come to be seen, within a Government Binding/Minimalist framework, as determined by functional as well as lexical categories. Within this framework, functional categories are often seen as present in every language without evidence being available in that language. This book contains arguments that even though Universal Grammar makes functional categories available, the language learner must decide whether or not to incorporate them in his or her grammar. For instance, it is shown that English has one (not two as often assumed) functional category between the complementizer and the Negation, but that languages such as Dutch, Swedish, German and Old and Middle English have none. The title of the book can be seen in terms of the direction current research is taking; it can also be seen in terms of the changes that have taken place in English.
Table of contents:
- Preface
- Introduction
- The Functional Category T in English
- Languages without a special Node for Tense
- The Introduction of a Tense Node
- Tense in Non-Finite Clauses
- Feature Selection
- AGRsP and Agreement Features
- Functional Categories between Neg and VP
- Aspect
- Conclusion
- Notes
- References
- References Index
- General Index