15.745, Books: Syntax/Philosophy of Language: Borer

Mon Mar 1 21:42:35 UTC 2004

LINGUIST List:  Vol-15-745. Mon Mar 1 2004. ISSN: 1068-4875.

Subject: 15.745, Books: Syntax/Philosophy of Language: Borer

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1)
Date:  Sat, 21 Feb 2004 07:49:56 -0500 (EST)
From:  tom.perridge at oup.com
Subject:  Structuring Sense, Volume 1: Borer

2)
Date:  Sat, 21 Feb 2004 08:03:43 -0500 (EST)
From:  tom.perridge at oup.com
Subject:  Structuring Sense, Volume 2: Borer (Ed.)

-------------------------------- Message 1 -------------------------------

Date:  Sat, 21 Feb 2004 07:49:56 -0500 (EST)
From:  tom.perridge at oup.com
Subject:  Structuring Sense, Volume 1: Borer

Title: Structuring Sense, Volume 1
Subtitle: In Name Only

Publication Year: 2004
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
		http://www.oup.com/us
		http://www.oup.co.uk		

Book URL: http://www.oup.co.uk/isbn/0-19-926389-2

Author: Hagit Borer, University of Southern California

Hardback: ISBN: 0199263892, Pages: 320, Price: £55.00
Paperback: ISBN: 0199263906, Pages: 320, Price: £22.99

Abstract:

Structuring Sense explores the difference between words however
defined and structures however constructed. It sets out to demonstrate
over three volumes, of which this is the first, that the explanation
of linguistic competence should be shifted from lexical entry to
syntactic structure, from memory of words to manipulation of
rules. Its reformulation of how grammar and lexicon interact has
profound implications for linguistic, philosophical, and psychological
theories about human mind and language.

Hagit Borer departs from both constructional approaches to syntax and
the long generative tradition that uses the word as the nucleus around
which the syntax grows. She argues that the hierarchical, abstract
structures of language are universal, not language specific, and that
language variation emerges from the morphological and phonological
properties of inflectional material.

In Name Only applies this radical approach to nominal
structure. Integrating research in syntax, semantics, and morphology,
the author argues that nominal structure is based on the syntactic
realization of semantic notions such as classifier, quantity, and
reference. In the process she seeks to do away with lexical ambiguity
and type-shifting. Among the topics she considers are the
interpretation of proper names, the mass-count distinction, the
weak-strong interpretation of quantifiers, partitive and measure
phrases, and the structural representation of the definite article. In
the process she explores inter-language variation through the
properties of the morpho-phonological system. The languages discussed
include English, Chinese, Italian, and Hebrew.

"Hagit Borer's two volumes are a truly impressive achievement. She
develops an original and careful theoretical framework, with
far-reaching implications, as she describes. And she applies it in
what have traditionally, and plausibly, been the two major domains of
language: nominals and predication (event structure). The application
is deeply informed and scrupulously executed, as well as remarkably
comprehensive, covering a wide range of typologically different
languages, and with much new material. No less valuable is her careful
critical review of the rich literature on these topics, drawing from
it where appropriate, identifying problems and developing alternatives
within the general framework she has developed. These are sure to
become basic sources for further inquiry into the fundamental issues
she explores with such insight and understanding." Noam Chomsky

Lingfield(s):	Cognitive Science
		Morphology
		Philosophy of Language
		Semantics
		Syntax 			

Subject Language(s):	Chinese, Mandarin (Language code: CHN)
			English (Language code: ENG)
			Hebrew (Language code: HBR)
			Italian (Language code: ITN)

Written In:	English (Language Code: ENG)

     See this book announcement on our website:
     http://linguistlist.org/get-book.html?BookID=9235

-------------------------------- Message 2 -------------------------------

Date:  Sat, 21 Feb 2004 08:03:43 -0500 (EST)
From:  tom.perridge at oup.com
Subject:  Structuring Sense, Volume 2: Borer (Ed.)

Title: Structuring Sense, Volume 2
Subtitle: The Normal Course of Events

Publication Year: 2004
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
		http://www.oup.com/us
		http://www.oup.co.uk		

Book URL: http://www.oup.co.uk/isbn/0-19-926391-4

Editor: Hagit Borer, University of Southern California

Hardback: ISBN: 0199263914, Pages: 320, Price: £55.00
Paperback: ISBN: 0199263922, Pages: 320, Price: £22.99

Abstract:

Structuring Sense explores the difference between words however
defined and structures however constructed. It sets out to demonstrate
over three volumes, of which this is the second, that the explanation
of linguistic competence should be shifted from lexical entry to
syntactic structure, from memory of words to manipulation of
rules. Its reformulation of how grammar and lexicon interact has
profound implications for linguistic, philosophical, and psychological
theories about human mind and language.

Hagit Borer departs from both constructional approaches to syntax and
the long generative tradition that uses the word as the nucleus around
which the syntax grows. She argues that the hierarchical, abstract
structures of language are universal, not language specific, and that
language variation emerges from the morphological and phonological
properties of inflectional material.

The Normal Course of Events applies this radical approach to event
structure. Integrating research results in syntax, semantics, and
morphology, the author shows that argument structure is based on the
syntactic realization of semantic event units. The topics she
addresses include the structure of internal arguments and of telic and
atelic interpretations, accusative and partitive case, perfective and
imperfective marking, the unaccusative-unergative distinction,
existential interpretation and post-verbal subjects, and resultative
constructions. The languages discussed include English, Catalan,
Finnish, Hebrew, Czech, Polish, Russian, and Spanish.

"Hagit Borer's two volumes are a truly impressive achievement. She
develops an original and careful theoretical framework, with
far-reaching implications, as she describes. And she applies it in
what have traditionally, and plausibly, been the two major domains of
language: nominals and predication (event structure). The application
is deeply informed and scrupulously executed, as well as remarkably
comprehensive, covering a wide range of typologically different
languages, and with much new material. No less valuable is her careful
critical review of the rich literature on these topics, drawing from
it where appropriate, identifying problems and developing alternatives
within the general framework she has developed. These are sure to
become basic sources for further inquiry into the fundamental issues
she explores with such insight and understanding."  Noam Chomsky

Lingfield(s):	Cognitive Science
		Morphology
		Philosophy of Language
		Semantics
		Syntax 			

Subject Language(s):	Catalan-valencian-balear (Language code: CLN)
			Czech (Language code: CZC)
			English (Language code: ENG)
			Finnish (Language code: FIN)
			Hebrew (Language code: HBR)
			Polish (Language code: PQL)
			Russian (Language code: RUS)
			Spanish (Language code: SPN)

Written In:	English (Language Code: ENG)

     See this book announcement on our website:
     http://linguistlist.org/get-book.html?BookID=9236.

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LINGUIST List: Vol-15-745