The syntax and pragmatics of subject and object position in Modern Greek
This thesis investigates word order variation in Modern Greek (MG), and in particular, the order of subject, verb and object in declarative clauses. Unlike English, a simple Greek declarative clause consisting of a verb and its nominal subject and object can be rendered in all six logically possible combinations: VSO, VOS, SVO, OVS, SOV, OSV The study seeks to account for certain issues - largely underexplored within existing accounts of Greek word order - such as the respective burden borne by syntax, morphology and pragmatics in MG clausal structure and order, and the markedness associated with each of the six orders. A working assumption that this thesis adopts is that an adequate exploration of word order will have to incorporate insights from a variety of typological, formal, functional and cognitive perspectives in order to unfold the complex array of interdependent factors that relate to word order variation (Siewierska 1988: 266). Chapter 1 sets out the aim, outlines the research topic and offers an overview of the thesis. Chapter 2 details the issue of configurational clause structure with special reference to Greek and argues that a flat clause structure is to be preferred to a configurational one.
Tzanidaki, Dimitra Irini
Linguistics
The syntax and pragmatics of subject and object position in Modern Greek. This thesis investigates word order variation in Modern Greek (MG), and in particular, the order of subject, verb and object in declarative clauses. Unlike English, a simple Greek declarative clause consisting of a verb and its nominal subject and object can be rendered in all six logically possible combinations: VSO, VOS, SVO, OVS, SOV, OSV The study seeks to account for certain issues - largely underexplored within existing accounts of Greek word order - such as the respective burden borne by syntax, morphology and pragmatics in MG clausal structure and order, and the markedness associated with each of the six orders. A working assumption that this thesis adopts is that an adequate exploration of word order will have to incorporate insights from a variety of typological, formal, functional and cognitive perspectives in order to unfold the complex array of interdependent factors that relate to word order variation (Siewierska 1988: 266). Chapter 1 sets out the aim, outlines the research topic and offers an overview of the thesis. Chapter 2 details the issue of configurational clause structure with special reference to Greek and argues that a flat clause structure is to be preferred to a configurational one.
syntax pragmatic subject_object position modern_greek investigate word_order variation modern_greek particular order subject_verb object declarative clause unlike english simple greek declarative clause consist verb nominal subject_object render logically possible combination vso svo study_seek account certain issue largely underexplored within exist account greek word_order respective burden borne syntax morphology pragmatic clausal structure order markedness associate order work assumption adopts adequate exploration word_order incorporate insight variety typological formal_functional cognitive_perspective order unfold complex array interdependent factor relate word_order variation set aim outline topic offer_overview thesis detail issue configurational clause_structure special_reference greek argue flat clause_structure prefer configurational