Rules

Linguistics 322-3

Syntax

 

 Principles of Syntax

Agreement

1.  If X governs Y, the features that exist in both X and Y must agree. If the features do not agree, the form is rendered ungrammatical, which renders the entire sentence ungrammatical.

2.  All features in a projection of X must agree.

3.  All features linked in a government change must share the same value *(agreement).

Host Requirement

If a feature X requires a specific category as a host , the form X must be copied to and embedded in that category, which functions as the host of the feature. A government link must be established between the original feature position and the host.

Unspecified Features

3.   An unspecified feature must be assigned a velue (plus or minis in a binary theory.

Feautre Value Condition.

No rule may replace the value of a feature with another value.

Agreement

 

Specific rules:

Feature Copying to NIL feature

1.  If a feature is marked NIL at A-structure:

a1)  copy the feature of the head to the governee (or)

a2)  copy the feature of the governee to the head.

b1)  copy the feature of the phrase down through each member of the projection if that feature is NIL.

Affix creation (morphology)

2.  If a feature is marked as [+suffix], the form containing the feature must split into a stem plus an suffix. The suffix carries the triggering feature; the remaining features stay with the stem.

Feature Copying to Host

3.  If a grammatical item or lexical form is marked with the feature

[\____]

the feature must be copied to the closest available host that the category containing the feature governs. The features in the original position without a host are deleted as long as a link to the host has been made. Features cannot be arbitrarily deleted (i.e. realized as the logical form [NULL]).

The category of the host is required. If a verb host is required, the feature is written as

[V\____].

The feature must then be copied to a verb (host).

Gvoernment here may be called head government.

Targeting

If an operator is marked as a target, it must find a traget establishing an antecedent government link with the target. The features linked in such a chain must agree.

Course Outline 322

322 Definitions

Old Rules 322

Principles and Rules (Morphology)

This page last updated 29 OC 99