The derivation of anaphoric relations
This thesis develops an analysis of the binding theory within the Minimalist approach to the architecture of the language faculty. As an expression of the principles governing the distribution and referential dependencies of reflexives, pronouns, and referential expressions, the binding theory has proved a highly successful and influential outcome of the generative programme. However, given the central Minimalist conjecture that the computational system is strictly derivational (non-representational), the binding theory has become one of the most problematic modules of the grammar, relying crucially on syntactically active constraints defined over representations of sentences. I aim to capture a range of crosslinguistic empirical facts previously attributed to Conditions A and B of the binding theory, armed only with purely derivational concepts and a generalised derivational domain: the âphaseâ. It is argued that binding relations are essentially determined in the computational component of the grammar, and substantial evidence is provided against viewing the binding conditions as interpretive instructions applying at LF. I argue that the binding conditionsâ effects can instead be determined by the
Hicks, Glyn
P Philology. Linguistics
The derivation of anaphoric relations. This thesis develops an analysis of the binding theory within the Minimalist approach to the architecture of the language faculty. As an expression of the principles governing the distribution and referential dependencies of reflexives, pronouns, and referential expressions, the binding theory has proved a highly successful and influential outcome of the generative programme. However, given the central Minimalist conjecture that the computational system is strictly derivational (non-representational), the binding theory has become one of the most problematic modules of the grammar, relying crucially on syntactically active constraints defined over representations of sentences. I aim to capture a range of crosslinguistic empirical facts previously attributed to Conditions A and B of the binding theory, armed only with purely derivational concepts and a generalised derivational domain: the âphaseâ. It is argued that binding relations are essentially determined in the computational component of the grammar, and substantial evidence is provided against viewing the binding conditions as interpretive instructions applying at LF. I argue that the binding conditionsâ effects can instead be determined by the
derivation anaphoric relation develops analysis bind_theory within_minimalist architecture language_faculty expression principle_govern distribution referential dependency reflexive pronoun referential expression bind_theory prove highly successful influential outcome generative programme however give central minimalist computational_system strictly derivational non_representational bind_theory become_one problematic module grammar rely crucially syntactically active constraint define representation sentence aim_capture range crosslinguistic empirical_fact previously attribute conditions bind_theory arm purely derivational concept generalise derivational domain phase argue bind relation essentially determine computational component grammar substantial_evidence provide view bind condition interpretive instruction apply argue bind condition effect instead determine