Quiegolani Zapotec Syntax: A Principles and Parameters Account
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.
Preface
Abbreviations and Symbols
Map
- Introduction
1.1 The data
1.2 Theoretical assumptions
Part I: Grammatical Sketch
- Morphology
- Syntax
- Anaphoric or Binding Relations
2.1 Nominal morphology
2.2 Verbal morphology
2.3 Pronouns
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
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
- Theoretical Issues
- Focus and Topic Constructions
- Questions and Relative Clauses
- Constructions Involving Negation
- Interaction Between the Various A-Constructions
5.1 How many functional projections are necessary?
5.2 How VSO word order is obtained
6.1 Focus versus topic syntactically and semantically
6.2 The focus marker
6.3 The phrase structure of focus constructions
7.1 Question formation and the Wh-Criterion
7.2 The structure of CP[+Wh]
7.3 Relative clauses
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
9.1 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
- Structure of Verb Phrases and Nonverbal Predicates
- Structure of Nominal Phrases
- Special Number-Marking Constructions
10.1 The structure of VP
10.2 The structure of nonverbal predicates
11.1 The DP structures parallel to the clause structure proposals
11.2 Proposed DP structure for QZ
11.3 Attested coordination within DP
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