SIL International Publications

Quiegolani Zapotec Syntax: A Principles and Parameters Account

Author(s):
Black, Cheryl A
Description: 

The reader of Quiegolani Zapotec Syntax will find a careful syntactic analysis of this language, presented descriptively and with a theoretical analysis.

In the three sections of the book, Cheryl Black provides a coherent, explanatory analysis for many facets of the syntax of this VSO language. Part I describes the morphology and syntax, as well as anaphoric relations. Parts II and III provide a theoretical analysis of the various syntactic constructions, utilizing a Principles and Parameters approach. Part II examines clause structure, including focus and topic constructions, interrogatives, negative constructions, and their interactions. Part III extends the analysis to phrase structures such as verbal and nominal phrases. The final chapter demonstrates that the special quantifier constructions that mark number in the language exhibit the same basic principles and structures as the rest of the grammar, showing that a small number of principles or constraints can determine the full grammar of a language.

Quiegolani Zapotec is an Otomanguean language spoken in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. This language family has received relatively little attention by syntacticians, making Dr. Black's work especially valuable. Theoretical linguists, as well as those mainly interested in description and typology, will find it of interest.

Table of Contents: 

Preface
Abbreviations and Symbols
Map

  1. Introduction
  2. 1.1 The data
    1.2 Theoretical assumptions

Part I: Grammatical Sketch

  1. Morphology
  2. 2.1 Nominal morphology
    2.2 Verbal morphology
    2.3 Pronouns

  3. Syntax
  4. 3.1 Basic VSO word order
    3.2 Sentences expressing states or existence
    3.3 Constructions involving changes in argument structure
    3.4 Changes in word order due to movement

  5. Anaphoric or Binding Relations
  6. 4.1 Principles A and B: Distinguishing anaphors from pronouns
    4.2 Principle C: Binding restrictions on nominal phrases

Part II: Clause Structure and A-Dependencies

  1. Theoretical Issues
  2. 5.1 How many functional projections are necessary?
    5.2 How VSO word order is obtained

  3. Focus and Topic Constructions
  4. 6.1 Focus versus topic syntactically and semantically
    6.2 The focus marker
    6.3 The phrase structure of focus constructions

  5. Questions and Relative Clauses
  6. 7.1 Question formation and the Wh-Criterion
    7.2 The structure of CP[+Wh]
    7.3 Relative clauses

  7. Constructions Involving Negation
  8. 8.1 The Zapotecan languages are Negative Concord languages
    8.2 Analysis of the obligatory fronting
    8.3 The negation constructions and Verb Movement versus Subject Adjunction

  9. Interaction Between the Various A-Constructions
  10. 9.1 Questions and focus constructions may not co-occur in a clause
    9.2 Relative positions of wh-phrases and negative phrases
    9.3 Relative positions of focused phrases and negative phrases
    9.4 Polarity phrase needed to account for clausal coordination
    9.5 Proposed clause structure for QZ

Part III: Phrase Structure and Constituent Constructions

  1. Structure of Verb Phrases and Nonverbal Predicates
  2. 10.1 The structure of VP
    10.2 The structure of nonverbal predicates

  3. Structure of Nominal Phrases
  4. 11.1 The DP structures parallel to the clause structure proposals
    11.2 Proposed DP structure for QZ
    11.3 Attested coordination within DP

  5. Special Number-Marking Constructions
  6. 12.1 Semantic interpretation
    12.2 Syntactic analysis of the contiguous structure
    12.3 Analysis of the separated construction

Appendix: A Parametric Account of Question Formation
The Wh-Criterion alone is not sufficient
Parameterization of the wh-scope positions
Wh-chains account for partial wh-movement

References
Index

Series Volume: 
136
Issue Date: 
2000
Extent: 
xvi, 349 pages
ISBN 13: 
978-1556710995
Subject: 
Grammatical Description
Syntax
Principles and Parameters Theory
Grammatical Descriptions
ISBN 10: 
1556710992
Size: 
6 × 9 × 0.75 in
Weight: 
1.1 lb
Field: 
Country: 
Mexico
Content Language: