Syntax Syllabus

Course Outline

Linguistics 522

The table below gives an approximate schedule of classes, assignments, and lectures for this course. On days that are shaded gray, class does not meet. Days shaded gray before the last day of classes are either holidays, cancelled classes, or furlough days.

Days shaded gray after the last day of classes represent content that would have been covered in class in a normal semester.

Day

Reading

Assignment

Lecture

Background
Mon Aug 27   Prerequisites. Syllabus. Expectations. Developing a tolerance for imperfect understanding. The role of assignments in this course. Generative Syntax lecture. Intro slides. Glossary of syntax terms.    
Mon Sep 03 H'day H'day H'day H'day
Mon Sep 10 Chapter 2 From Chapter 2: Assignment.
  1. Parts of speech Introduction to constituency, fourteen parses,
  2. Practice with parts of speech
 
Mon Sep 17 Chapter 3. Constituents. Chapter 3, Exercises 6d-h,q, r, 8. Challenge 3 [Please write a new NP rule!], 4 [For Part 2, please write a new VP rule]
  1. Tree-drawing website
  2. Constituency principles
  3. Constituents
  4. Noun noun compounds
  5. Constituency and Constituency Tests
  6. Using trees for Constituency: the golden rule
  1. Background notes
  2. Notes on the Irish problem
Mon Sep 24 Chapter 4 (not a fun read!). Phrase-structure rules. Dominance, precedence, and C-command Chapter 4 Exercises 3(10-16), All of 7, Challenge problems 2, 3. Structural relations Alternative Lecture Model answers for assignment 1
Mon Oct 01 Chapter 5. The Binding Theory; Anaphors, pronouns, and R-expressions Chapter 5 Exercises: Problems 2, 4; Challenge problem 4,6 Lecture

Model answers for Ch. 2 homework

Model answers for Ch. 4 homework

Mon Oct 08 Chapter 6. Xbar Syntax. Chapter 6. Exercises, p.200-206. Problem 1a,b,d,e (for this exercise, you MUST use at least 2 of the tests listed in the problem, no tests, no credit); 3; 7a,c,d,i; Challenge probs: 2,3 from Chapter 6. Lectures:
  1. Drawing Xbar trees.
  2. 6.1 Intermediate constituents.
  3. 6.2 Cross-categorial generalizations: Complement, Adjunct, Specifier.
  4. 6.3 Parameterizing word order
  1. Model answers for Ch. 5 homework
  2. Binding Theory Quiz.
  3. Binding Theory Quiz answers.
Mon Oct 15 Chapter 7: Advanced Xbar Syntax;

Introducing Functional heads: CP, TP, DP

 Chapter 7 Exercises, p. 222-223. Problem 1 2, 3, 5[d,e,f,g,h] Lectures:
  1. Lecture: DPs, etc..
  2. Lecture: Lexicon.
 
Mon Oct 22   2018 midterm. Attention! This link will become active 10/22/18! 2017 midterm. Drawing Xbar trees. Constituent review, Binding Theory Quiz, Binding Quiz Answers, Binding theory tutorial notes, Recipes for binding theory arguments, Complement and adjunct tests, One replacement, Model answer to German.  
Mon Oct 29     Ch. 7 Lecture, Constituent review Complements and Adjuncts One replacement.  
Mon Nov 05 Chapter 8 DPs, CPs, TPs. The Lexicon, Theta theory. Chapter 8: Exercises 3, 5 Ch. 8 Lecture,  
Mon Nov 12 H'day H'day H'day H'day
Mon Nov 19 Chapter 10. Head Movement. [Note: we are SKIPPING Chapter 9] Chapter 10: Exercises 1, 2, 7, 9b,d,e,f (draw S-structure trees, not D-Structure), Challenge 2, 3. Lecture.  
Mon Nov 26 Chapter 11. DP Movement Exercises 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, Challenge 4 DP Movement lecture  
Mon Dec 03 Chapter 11. DP Movement (ctd)
  1. DP movement lecture,
  2. Monday Section Final 2016,
  3. Verb movement Model,
  4. German verb movement,
  5. Exercise 7, Additional Chapter 11 exercises.
  6. Additional Chapter 11 trees.
  7. Notes on theta grids
  8. Our framework
  9. Elizabethan English (Verb movement)
   
Mon Dec 10 Chapter 12. Wh Movement. Monday Final 2018: Due Dec 17, 4 PM. Wh movement lecture.  
Mon Dec 17 Chapter 10, 11, 12 Review. Assignment
  1. Monday Section Final 2017,
  2. Verb movement Model,
  3. German verb movement,
  4. Exercise 7, Additional Chapter 11 trees.
  5. Model answers Chap 12 homework
  6. Notes on theta grids
  7. Our framework
  8. D-structure check list
  9. Model answers to chap 11 homework
   
Mon Dec 24