The syntax of discourse functions in Greek : a non-configurational approach
This thesis offers an account of the syntactic properties of Focus-movement, Topicalisation and Clitic Left Dislocation (CLLD) in Greek. As these phenomena are central to discussions of the syntax-discourse interface, a significant part of this study pursues the question of the representation of the discourse functions of <I>topic</I> and <I>focus</I> and their relation to syntax. For the most part, the literature on the syntax of Focus-movement, Topicalisation and CLLD advocates that <I>focus</I> and <I>topic</I> are encoded in the Phrase Structure by distinct Functional Projections: Focus Phrase (FP) and Topic Phrase (TP). <I>Foci </I>and <I>Topics</I> move to the Specifier of the relevant Projection to check their discourse features. The term <I>Discourse Configurational Languages </I>has been recently coined for languages that encode <I>focus and topic </I>through Phrase Structure configurations. With respect to the syntactic properties of the relevant structures, the <I>Discourse Configurational </I>approach assumes that Focus-movement, Topicalisation and CLLD instantiate three distinct syntactic operations; A-bar-movement, A-movement and base-generation respectively. This complex syntax enables a simple
Alexopoulou, Theodora
The syntax of discourse functions in Greek : a non-configurational approach. This thesis offers an account of the syntactic properties of Focus-movement, Topicalisation and Clitic Left Dislocation (CLLD) in Greek. As these phenomena are central to discussions of the syntax-discourse interface, a significant part of this study pursues the question of the representation of the discourse functions of <I>topic</I> and <I>focus</I> and their relation to syntax. For the most part, the literature on the syntax of Focus-movement, Topicalisation and CLLD advocates that <I>focus</I> and <I>topic</I> are encoded in the Phrase Structure by distinct Functional Projections: Focus Phrase (FP) and Topic Phrase (TP). <I>Foci </I>and <I>Topics</I> move to the Specifier of the relevant Projection to check their discourse features. The term <I>Discourse Configurational Languages </I>has been recently coined for languages that encode <I>focus and topic </I>through Phrase Structure configurations. With respect to the syntactic properties of the relevant structures, the <I>Discourse Configurational </I>approach assumes that Focus-movement, Topicalisation and CLLD instantiate three distinct syntactic operations; A-bar-movement, A-movement and base-generation respectively. This complex syntax enables a simple
syntax discourse function greek non configurational approach offer_account syntactic_property focus movement topicalisation clitic left dislocation greek phenomena central discussion syntax discourse interface significant_part study pursue question representation discourse function topic focus relation syntax part literature syntax focus movement topicalisation advocate focus topic encode phrase_structure distinct functional focus phrase topic phrase foci topics move specifier relevant projection check discourse feature term discourse configurational languages recently coin language encode focus topic phrase_structure configuration respect syntactic_property relevant structure discourse configurational assume focus movement topicalisation instantiate three_distinct syntactic operation bar movement movement base generation respectively complex syntax enable simple