Research Catalog

Title

Adjectives, number and interfaces : why languages vary / Denis Bouchard.

Author

Bouchard, Denis.

Publication

Amsterdam ; Boston : North Holland/Elsevier, 2002.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

xii, 458 pages; 24 cm.

Summary

• "This study explains why languages vary the way they do in the domain of adjectival modification in French as contrasted with other Indo-European languages (English, Celtic, Walloon, Romanian, Italian). Rejecting previous well-known analyses in terms of syntactic movement to various functional heads, the author proposes a model in which external properties of interfaces are the foundations from which the variation is derived. Limiting severely the technical apparatus of syntax, the author argues that the properties of Number at the interfaces are shown to provide a simple and precise solution for longstanding problems of compositionality raised by adjectival modification. There is also a unified analysis of the many other properties involved
• The model provides a principled explanation of the variation concerning nominals without determiners (Bare NPs) and determiners without nominals (clitics)." "Linguists, psychologists, computer scientists and philosophers alike will find this work of interest."--Jacket

Series Statement

North-Holland linguistic series, 0078-1592 ; v. 61

Uniform Title

North-Holland linguistic series ; 61.

Subject

• Grammar, Comparative and general > Adjective
• Grammar, Comparative and general > Noun phrase
• Language and languages > Variation
• Explanation (Linguistics)
• Adjektiv
• Französisch
• Indogermanische Sprachen
• Nominalphrase
• Variation
• Wortstellung
• Sprachtypologie
• Kontrastive Syntax
• Generative Transformationsgrammatik
• Modifikator
• Bijvoeglijke naamwoorden
• Frans
• Vergelijkende taalwetenschap
• Indogermanische Sprachen

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 433-458).

Contents

Ch. 1. Adjectives, Interfaces, and Explanation. 1. Adjectival Modification. 2. Explaning Adjectival Modification. 3. Explanation in Linguistics: The Role of Interfaces -- Ch. 2. Adjectival Modification in French. 1. A Strictly Compositional Analysis of Adjectival Modification. 2. Basic Phenomena. 3. Factors Favoring Pre-N or Post-N Placement of ADJs. 4. Conclusion -- Ch. 3. Crosslinguistic Variation in Adjectival Modification. 1. The Causes of Variation. 2. A Comparison with English. 3. A Brief Look at Other Languages. 4. Evidence from Codeswitching. 5. Conclusion -- Ch. 4. The Omission of N. 1. Expressions Including Partitivity. 2. Classifying ADJs. 3. Lone Determiners. 4. Conclusion -- Ch. 5. The Omission of DET.

ISBN

• 008044055X
• 9780080440552

LCCN

2002033723

OCLC

• ocm50516509
• 50516509
• SCSB-8811173

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library