36.2375, Books: Mathematical Structure of Syntactic Merge: Marcolli, Chomsky and Berwick (2025)

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-36-2375. Sat Aug 09 2025. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 36.2375, Books: Mathematical Structure of Syntactic Merge: Marcolli, Chomsky and Berwick (2025)

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Date: 07-Aug-2025
From: The MIT Press [jbullent at mit.edu]
Subject: Mathematical Structure of Syntactic Merge: Marcolli, Chomsky and Berwick (2025)


Title: Mathematical Structure of Syntactic Merge
Subtitle: An Algebraic Model for Generative Linguistics
Series Title: Linguistic Inquiry Monographs
Publication Year: 2025

Publisher: MIT Press
           http://mitpress.mit.edu/
Book URL:
https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262552523/mathematical-structure-of-syntactic-merge/

Author(s): Matilde Marcolli, Noam Chomsky and Robert C. Berwick

Abstract:

A mathematical formalization of Chomsky’s theory of Merge in
generative linguistics.
The Minimalist Program advanced by Noam Chomsky thirty years ago,
focusing on the biological nature of human language, has played a
central role in our modern understanding of syntax. One key to this
program is the notion that the hierarchical structure of human
language syntax consists of a single operation Merge. For the first
time, Mathematical Structure of Syntactic Merge presents a complete
and precise mathematical formalization of Chomsky’s most recent theory
of Merge. It both furnishes a new way to explore Merge’s important
linguistic implications clearly while also laying to rest any fears
that the Minimalist framework based on Merge might itself prove to be
formally incoherent.
In this book, Matilde Marcolli, Noam Chomsky, and Robert C. Berwick
prove that Merge can be described as a very particular kind of highly
structured algebra. Additionally, the book shows how Merge can be
placed within a consistent framework that includes both a
syntactic-semantic interface that realizes Chomsky’s notion of a
conceptual-intentional interface, and an externalization system that
realizes language-specific constraints. The syntax-semantics interface
encompasses many current semantical theories and offers deep insights
into the ways that modern “large language models” work, proving that
these do not undermine in any way the scientific theories of language
based on generative grammar.

Linguistic Field(s): Syntax




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