Linguistics 522

Introduction to Syntax

Course Description

Goals	The primary goal of the course is to acquaint students with the basic goals and methodlogy of syntactic theory, in the process giving them an introduction to one very influential approach.
Practice	The course will use the textbook Syntax: A Generative Introduction, by Andrew Carnie, available in the campus bookstore. There will be exercises for most of the chapters covered. Please be sure to get the Second Edition. The course begins with an introduction to constituents and trees, introduces some structural concepts such as dominance and C-Command, and then develops some applications such as the Binding Theory, and some theoretical hypotheses, such as X-Bar Theory. The meat of the course is then a treatment of movement of various kinds, including head movement and NP movement. A virtue of the text is that examples and exercises from numerous languages are used, affording the student the opprotunity to evaluate some of the claims made about the universality of the theory.
Pre-requisites	Linguistics 101 or equivalent.
Grading	Grading will be based on exercises and take-home midterms and finals. Midterm 30% Final 30% Exercises: 30% Class participation: 10% Many homeworks are graded loosely, especially at the beginning of the course, since they are regarded as learning experiences. However, the one aspect that homeworks will not be graded loosely on is examples. When you are asked to produce an example of a phenomenon you must create a sentence or word or phrase (whatever is asked for) that meets the requirements. When you make an assertion about a linguistic fact, you must produce an example to illustrate it. When you make an assertion about a linguistic constraint you must give an example. If you make a positive assertion about the language, you must give an example of the kind of form you claim occurs. The English progressive is formed using the verb "to be" combined with an "-ing" form of the verb. John was running to the store. Also (and very important), if you make a negative claim, you must give a plausible example of the kind of form you claim does NOT occur. HAVE constraint: The helping verb "have" never occurs in the progressive (although the main verb "have" sometimes does) Example of the HAVE constraint and a case of the main verb "have" in the progressive. (i) * John was having run to the store. (ii) John was having beef stroganoff for dinner. Non-occurring forms should be marked with a "*". Plausible means that except for the part of the sentence that is relevant to your claim, the senetence should be completely correct. This requirement will be discussed in detail in class.
Late Assignments	The general structure of the course is not well-suited to late assignments. Assignment solutions will be discussed in detail on the day they are turned in, and thus students who turn assignments in late will be at an advantage. However, to allow for some flexibility, late assignments will receive partial credit. Here is the lateness policy: Up to one week late: 50% credit for assignment More than one week late: not accepted
Group Work	Group work is encouraged on the assignments. The midterm and final should be completed without any help. When turning in collaborative assignments, your collaborators should be identified on your paper. One suggestion about group work: I encourage people to change groups in mid-semester. I also encourage existing groups to admit new members. Moving around will help you get to know more people and you will probably learn more. On the other hand, if you find a group that is a good fit, there is no requirement that you leave it.
Attendance	Attendance is not a formal part of your grade. However, be aware that participation is, so do the math. Also, hints on how to solve problems on the assignments, the midterms, and the final are handed out liberally in class. These hints will not be posted on the web page.
Office Hours	TuTh 1:00-2:30

Weekly Syllabus

WEEK ONE Aug 29		Lecture & Readings	Introducing Guvnor and Bindocks, the gods of syntax. Syllabus. Expectations. Pre-requisites. Developing a tolerance for imperfect understanding. The role of assignments in this course. Lecture. Background notes: Grammaticality. Chapter 1. Competence, universals. Kinds of acceptability. Chapter 2. Parts of speech. Trees.
		Assignment	Exercises 1, 6 and Challenge Problems 1 and 2 at the end of Chapter 2.
WEEK TWO Sep 5		Lecture & Readings	Chapter 2. Parts of speech Chapter 3. Constituency. Topics: Noun noun compounds Parts of speech Constituency and Constituency Tests Using trees for Constituency: the golden rule Tree-drawing website Tree-Drawing Tips Background notes.
		Assignment	4d-h,q, r, 8, Challenge Problem 2, 3, Chapter 3.
WEEK THREE Sep 12		Lecture & Readings	Constituents and diagnostics for constituents II. Model answers for assignment 1 Chapter 4 (which is not a fun read!). Phrase-structure rules. Dominance, precedence, and C-command. Lecture.
		Assignment	End Chap 4. 2(10-16), 7[9-19], 9. Challenge problem 3.
WEEK FOUR Sep 19		Lecture & Readings	No class. Class to be made up with review session at end of semester. Read Chapter 5.
		Assignment	Model answers for Ch. 2 homework Model answers for Ch. 4 homework
WEEK FIVE Sep 26		Lecture & Readings	Lecture on Chapter 5. Read Chapter 6.
		Assignment	Selected Exercises from textbook.
WEEK SIX Oct 3		Lecture & Readings	The Binding Theory. Anaphors, pronouns, and R-expressions. Lecture.
		Assignment	Chapter 5 Exercises: Problems 2, 4; Challenge problem 4,6 Model answers for Ch. 5 homework .
WEEK SEVEN Oct 10		Lecture & Readings	Chapter 6: Basic Xbar syntax. Optional constituents, complements and modifiers. NP,AP,VP, PP. Model answers to last week's assignment. 5.1 Intermediate constituents. 5.2 Cross-categorial generalizations: Complement, Adjunct, Specifier. 5.3 Parameterizing word order. Additional lecture material (background to help with textbook understanding): Background 5a Background 5b
		Assignment	Read Chapter 6. exercises, p.190-196. Problem 1a,b,d; 3; 7a,c,d,e,k; Challenge Problem 4.
WEEK EIGHT Oct 17		Lecture & Readings	Chapter 7: Advanced Xbar Syntax. Cross categorial generalizations extended. CP, TP, DP. Midterm. Attention! This version is new. Replaces any old version you have downloaded. By special request: Binding Theory Quiz. Binding Theory Quiz answers.
		Assignment	Midterm
WEEK NINE Oct 24		Lecture & Readings	Midterm due! Chapter 8. The Lexicon.
		Assignment	Exercises from Chapter 8 (pp. 183-186): 5, 6. Extra expletive-it problem (extends 4 in text).
WEEK TEN Oc 31		Lecture & Readings	Ch. 9. Head to head movement.
		Assignments	Exercise 1,3,5, Ch. 8
WEEK ELEVEN Nov 7		Lecture & Readings	Chapter 10.
		Assignment	TBA
WEEK TWELVE Nov 14		Lecture & Readings	Midterm due. Discussion of midterm. Midterm answers. Attention! Currently, these are the answers to last year's midterm! Movement I: Head to Head. Lecture.
		Assignment	Exercise 1,2,6 9 Ch. 9.
WEEK THIRTEEN Nov 21		Lecture & Readings	Wh Movement. Bounding Theory.
		Assignment	Selected Problems from Chapter 9.
WEEK FOURTEEN Nov 28		Lecture & Readings	Midterm model answers. Takehome final: Part I. Raising, Control, Empty Categories. Chap 14. Fragments of problem 4. Raising versus Control. Control and raising lecture.
		Assignment	Selected Problems from Chapter 10. Old edition. Control raising chapter.
WEEK FIFTEEN Dec 5		Lecture & Readings	Final package (inclouding takehome final, parts 1 and 2. Question types. Arguments for wh-movement. Constraints on movement. Minimalism. Discussion of exercises on movement.
		Assignment
WEEK SIXTEEN Dec 12		Lecture	Makeup class. Review. Final review.
		Assignment	None! Thanks be to Guvnor and Bindocks, the gods of syntax.

Place and Time

We 1900-2140 BA-260

Contact

Mailing address:
Department of Linguistics and Oriental Languages
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-7727
Telephone: (619) 594-0252
Office location: EBA 321
Office hours: MW 10:00-12:15