This book reconsiders the classic topics of linguistic analysis and
reflects on universal aspects of language from a typological and
comparative perspective. The aim is to show the crucial interactions which
occur at the different levels of grammar (phonology, morphology, lexicon,
syntax and pragmatics), illustrating their various roles in the structural
organization of the sentence and exploring how interface relations
contribute to yield interpretation in typologically different languages.
The structural analysis is set within the Generative framework of grammar,
though theoretical tenets are the outcome, rather than the starting point,
of a study based on the observation of data.
As the basic intent is to show different phenomena across a wide range of
languages, a 'semi-guided' method has been adopted in order to facilitate
comprehension and assist the reader in the identification of language
universals. For every topic, the discussion of previous literature is
followed by cross-linguistic evidence so that theory can be checked against
data and the relevant generalizations drawn. Ultimately, this approach
reveals that grammar is based on a very limited number of universal
principles, which operate yielding different effects at the different
levels of the grammar. It implies that a real understanding of the
language-system can only be derived from a comparative analysis in which
the notion of interface plays a crucial role.
The seven chapters in the volume deal with categories and functions,
argument structure, syntactic functions, the structure of noun phrases,
adverbial modification, information structure and illocutive force.
Throughout, the observation of data from 74 languages is a crucial element
in the formulation and understanding of theoretical tenets.
This book is highly recommended for researchers and students interested in
formal analysis from a typological, comparative perspective.