MA Linguistics / Course details

The course introduces students who have been previously exposed to syntactic analysis to Chomsky’s Minimalist Programme for linguistic theory and further topics in syntactic theory. This will be accomplished in a hands-on fashion through theoretical as well as empirical discussion of a range of syntactic phenomena from a cross-linguistic perspective.

Pre-requisite - LELA70041 Introduction to Grammatical Theory

The course has three main aims: first, to introduce students to further topics in syntactic theory with special emphasis on cross-linguistic comparison; second, to provide an extensive introduction to the theoretical and substantive considerations on the language faculty that led Chomsky to develop this major line of inquiry inside the generative grammar framework; third, to provide the students with the methodological considerations and technical mechanisms necessary to both understand and carry out a minimalist analysis of syntactic structures.

By the end of this course students should be familiar with the main features, both theoretical and technical, of Chomsky’s Minimalist Programme for linguistic theory, how the syntactic computational component operates within this model of grammar, and the methods and solutions to specific syntactic phenomena developed within this framework. Ultimately, students will be able to provide an informed empirical and theorical account of a wider range of syntactic structures. 

‘Flipped-classroom’ approach: students read the assigned chapter and do the exercises in advance of the lecture, which is devoted to a brief review of the major points of the week and to exercises. The tutorials will be devoted to solving any exercises not covered in the lecture as well as additional exercises, Q&A and assessment.

E-Learning: All course material, including lecture handouts, practice exercises, links to electronically available readings, and course and assessment info will be made available on Blackboard.

Through the study of the recent developments inside a specific framework, the students will be able to reflect on the points of stability and on the change-triggering needs that characterize the natural evolution of a scientific theory. The students will also learn to recognize and compare common properties and distinguishing features of different languages, to apply the technical tools learned in class to specific empirical contexts, and to evaluate proposals in current generative theory.

Among the cognitive skills that the students should acquire are those relating to data-analysis, critical reflection, problem-posing as well as problem-solving and reasoned argumentation.

Data analysis through a variety of empirical problems and presentation.

During the tutorials the students will also develop their presentational, problem-solving and analytical skills through a series of tasks and exercises. 

Global feedback on the assignments and on the exercises delivered in class or posted to Blackboard. The exercises will be of the same format as those in the exam. During the lectures and the tutorials, detailed comments and practical tips will be offered to the students.

Adger, David (2003). Core Syntax: A Minimalist Approach. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Boeckx, Cedric (2006). Linguistic Minimalism, Origins, Concepts, Methods, and Aims. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Haegeman, Liliane (2006). Thinking syntactically: A guide to argumentation and analysis. Oxford: Blackwell.

Radford, Andrew. (2020). An Introduction to English Sentence Structure. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

Radford, Andrew (2016). Analysing English Sentences. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

Radford, Andrew. (2004). Minimalist Syntax. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Sportiche, Koopman, and Stabler (2013). An Introduction to Syntactic Analysis and Theory. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell.