Introduction to Syntax - LAN00011C
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Autumn Term 2022-23 to Summer Term 2022-23 |
Module aims
This module familiarises students with two basic skills:
Core syntactic concepts
Methodologies employed in developing such concepts
Modern syntactic theories, as a branch of science, aim to account for as many facts as possible using the smallest number of hypotheses. Students will learn how this is done.
Module learning outcomes
Knowledge outcomes
You will understand:
The goals of syntactic theory: observational, descriptive and explanatory adequacy
Scientific (and syntactic) argumentation
Cross-linguistic variations and their explanation
The notions of productivity and recursion
The basic nature of Universal Grammar
The competence/performance distinction in linguistics
The difference between lexical and functional categories
Basic grammatical and thematic relations
The distinction between arguments and modifiers
Behavioural outcomes
You will be able to:
Identify the lexical category of English words
Apply syntactic tests for constituency
Gloss and label examples
Identify clause boundaries in complex sentences
Identify different types of verbal category
Identify grammatical functions, such as subjects and objects
Draw trees and labeled brackets for basic English sentences
Identify major clause types: passive, relatives, interrogatives etc.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 10 |
| Essay/coursework | 15 |
| Essay/coursework | 15 |
| Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 60 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 100 |
Module feedback
Feedback within 20 working days of submission.
Indicative reading
Sportiche, D., Koopman, H. and E. Stabler (2014) An introduction to syntactic analysis and theory. Wiley Blackwell.