Research on the nature of the input to derivations and chain-like dependancies within a minimalist theory of generative grammar

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23520458
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Yokohama National University
• Principal Investigator: MARTIN Roger 横浜国立大学, 環境情報研究院, 准教授 (30302342)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): FUJII Tomohiro 横浜国立大学, 大学院環境情報研究院, 准教授 (40513651)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 生成文法理論 / 極小理論 / 連鎖形成 / コントロール構文 / 寄生空所 / 削除現象 / 連続循環移動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, we have shed new light on the nature of the computational system of human language, focusing on the input to the derivation (structures generated by external merge that yield ‘conceptual’ interpretations) and the mapping of these structures to a set of chains that are interpreted at the sensory-motor and ‘intentional’ interfaces. We have elucidated the range of situations yielding chains, arguing in particular that two or more elements that are distinct objects in the input, and receive distinct ‘conceptual’ interpretations, can in some circumstances be interpreted as a single object/chain at the sensory-motor and ‘intentional’ interfaces. We have demonstrated that a wide range of empirical phenomena can be best analyzed in terms of this chain formation mechanism, such as obligatory control, parasitic gaps, ellipsis, successive-cyclic movement, etc., providing a unified explanation for such "global" aspects of language in terms of a highly dynamic syntax.

Free Research Field

理論言語学