A Formal Introduction

Ivan A. Sag, Thomas Wasow, and Emily M. Bender

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The second edition of Syntactic Theory: A Formal Introduction expands and improves on a truly unique introductory syntax textbook. Like the first edition, it focuses on the development of precisely formulated grammars whose empirical predictions can be directly tested. There is considerable emphasis on prediction and evaluation of grammatical hypotheses, as well as on integrating syntactic hypotheses with matters of semantic analysis. The step-by-step introduction to a consistent grammar covering the core areas of English syntax is complemented by extensive problems sets drawing from a variety of languages. The student covers the core areas of English syntax from the last quarter century, including: complementation, control, 'raising constructions', passives, the auxiliary system, and the analysis of long distance dependency constructions. The theoretical perspective of the book is presented in the context of current models of language processing. The practical value of the constraint-based, lexicalist grammatical architecture proposed has already been demonstrated in computer language processing applications. The thoroughly reworked second edition includes revised and extended problem sets, updated analyses, additional examples, and more detailed exposition throughout.

An on-line instructor's manual for Syntactic Theory, 2nd Edition is now available. Visit the on-line Syntactic Theory Instructor's Manual by Emily M. Bender, Ivan A. Sag and Tom Wasow, for chapter-by-chapter lecture notes and downloadable transparencies to go with the lectures. In addition, there are sample solutions to all the problems in the text.

Praise for the first edition of Syntactic Theory:

“Syntactic Theory sets a new standard for introductory syntax volumes that all future books should be measured against.”
 —Gert Webelhuth, Journal of Linguistics 37, p. 261 (2001)

“Syntactic Theory is, without a doubt, the best available introduction to unification-based syntactic theory.”
 —Gregory Stump, University of Kentucky

“My undergraduate students loved this book.”
 —Georgia Green, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“A clear, thorough, and up-to-date introduction to a formal theory of grammar, it meticulously takes the reader through detailed analyses of many important aspects of English syntax, suggests applications to other languages, and evaluates the theoretical model employed from broad historical and intellectual perspectives.”
 —Patrick Farrell, Language 77, p. 162 (2001)

More praise for Syntactic Theory...

Ivan A. Sag is Professor of Linguistics and Thomas Wasow is Professor of Lingusitics and Philosophy at Stanford University, where they also serve on the faculty of the Symbolic Systems Program. Emily M. Bender is Assistant Professor of Linguistics at the University of Washington.

Errata

4/15/2003

ISBN (Paperback): 1575864002
ISBN (Cloth): 1575863995