Lecture | Com(parative) Syn(tax) Series
Towards a label-less grammar: Eradicating labels from the grammar
- Date
- Thursday 12 June 2025
- Time
- Location
-
Lipsius
Cleveringaplaats 1
2311 BD Leiden - Room
- 1.18
Abstract
Generative accounts typically widely assume some if not all of four types of label(-like) elements, namely lexical category labels, functional category labels, X-bar-theoretic sublabels and uninterpretable features. Indeed, existing approaches which reduce such devices, typically only partially eliminate one of them.
This talk presents the label-less grammar model introduced in my PhD dissertation, which instead aims to eradicate all four of these elements. After a brief review of previous approaches, I explain and evidence the core components of the model, namely (1) a single, pre-syntactic lexicon (e.g. Chomsky 1995) which nevertheless parallels, amongst others, the encyclopedia in Borer’s (2005a, b) Exo-skeletal Model in its internal nature, (2) asymmetric Pair-Merge as the sole basis for narrow syntax, and (3) a novel Conceptual-Intentional interface mechanism Merge as Specify based on the part-of relation. The model is then illustrated in detail with one of the multiple case studies from my dissertation, namely that of English plurality, showing how it can account for the core features of this phenomenon without the labels found in standard accounts.
This is an online talk, but you are welcome to join us in Lipsius.
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