36.1043, Books: Towards a label-less grammar: Wall (2025)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-36-1043. Wed Mar 26 2025. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 36.1043, Books: Towards a label-less grammar: Wall (2025)

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Date: 25-Mar-2025
From: Jan Martin [lotdissertations-fgw at uva.nl]
Subject: Towards a label-less grammar: Wall (2025)


Title: Towards a label-less grammar
Series Title: LOT Dissertation Series
Publication Year: 2025

Publisher: Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics / Landelijke
(LOT)
           http://www.lotpublications.nl/
Book URL: https://dx.medra.org/10.48273/LOT0686

Author(s): Joanna Wall

Paperback
ISBN: 978-94-6093-471-1
Pages: 597

Abstract:

In generative syntactic theory, four types of (sub)labels have formed
a cornerstone of current approaches: lexical category labels,
functional category labels, X-bar-theoretic sublabels and
uninterpretable features. This is despite the fact that all these
labels are arguably at odds with the modern generative enterprise, the
Minimalist Program. Further, recent approaches which aim to reduce
these (sub)labels usually only focus on one of them.
In contrast, the current dissertation proposes a novel and radical
label-less grammar model which aims to oust all four types of
(sub)labels. First, a single, pre-syntactic lexicon is assumed, in
which there is crucially no division between ‘lexical’ and
‘functional’ items, and all listed items can only be specified for
phonological content and either conceptual content and/or an entity
denotation. Second, narrow syntax is argued to be centered on a
modified form of Zwart’s Unary Merge – crucially a form of asymmetric
Pair-Merge – as the sole form of Merge. Third, linear order is
overwhelmingly assumed to match word order, following Kayne and Zwart.
Fourth, and moreover, a novel Conceptual-Intentional interface
condition – Merge as Specify – is proposed, which requires an
asymmetric semantic relation between the two items involved in all
applications of (non-First) Merge, based on the semantic part-of
relation.
Moreover, in this dissertation, the label-less grammar model is
applied to a diverse range of empirical phenomena across both the
traditional nominal and verbal domains, including divisions, quantity,
definiteness, Aktionsart, and tense. Further, implications for
cross-linguistic variation are also considered.

Linguistic Field(s): Linguistic Theories




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