Comparative syntax

Richard S. Kayne

doi:10.1016/j.lingua.2012.10.008

Comparative syntax

Richard S. Kayne

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Comparative syntax in all its range can be seen as a window on the language faculty that is just beginning to bear fruit. Although comparative syntax is interested in delineating the parameters that underlie cross-linguistic syntactic differences, the primary importance of comparative syntax lies in the fact that it provides us with new kinds of evidence bearing on questions concerning the general character of the language faculty. Figuring out what cross-linguistic generalizations hold and why exactly they hold will invariably help us to narrow down the set of hypotheses that we entertain about the language faculty.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	132-151
Number of pages	20
Journal	Lingua
Volume	130
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2012.10.008
State	Published - Jun 2013

Keywords

Acceptability judgment
Comparative syntax
Dialect
Micro-comparative
Number of languages
Parameter

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Language and Linguistics
Linguistics and Language

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10.1016/j.lingua.2012.10.008

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title = "Comparative syntax",

abstract = "Comparative syntax in all its range can be seen as a window on the language faculty that is just beginning to bear fruit. Although comparative syntax is interested in delineating the parameters that underlie cross-linguistic syntactic differences, the primary importance of comparative syntax lies in the fact that it provides us with new kinds of evidence bearing on questions concerning the general character of the language faculty. Figuring out what cross-linguistic generalizations hold and why exactly they hold will invariably help us to narrow down the set of hypotheses that we entertain about the language faculty.",

keywords = "Acceptability judgment, Comparative syntax, Dialect, Micro-comparative, Number of languages, Parameter",

author = "Kayne, {Richard S.}",

note = "Funding Information: We are grateful to Riny Huybregts for valuable comments on an earlier version of the manuscript and to the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) for financial support to J.J.B. (NWO-Earth and Life Sciences Open Programme, NWO Gravity and Horizon Programmes).",

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AU - Kayne, Richard S.

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N2 - Comparative syntax in all its range can be seen as a window on the language faculty that is just beginning to bear fruit. Although comparative syntax is interested in delineating the parameters that underlie cross-linguistic syntactic differences, the primary importance of comparative syntax lies in the fact that it provides us with new kinds of evidence bearing on questions concerning the general character of the language faculty. Figuring out what cross-linguistic generalizations hold and why exactly they hold will invariably help us to narrow down the set of hypotheses that we entertain about the language faculty.

AB - Comparative syntax in all its range can be seen as a window on the language faculty that is just beginning to bear fruit. Although comparative syntax is interested in delineating the parameters that underlie cross-linguistic syntactic differences, the primary importance of comparative syntax lies in the fact that it provides us with new kinds of evidence bearing on questions concerning the general character of the language faculty. Figuring out what cross-linguistic generalizations hold and why exactly they hold will invariably help us to narrow down the set of hypotheses that we entertain about the language faculty.

KW - Acceptability judgment

KW - Comparative syntax

KW - Dialect

KW - Micro-comparative

KW - Number of languages

KW - Parameter

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DO - 10.1016/j.lingua.2012.10.008

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SN - 0024-3841

VL - 130

SP - 132

EP - 151

JO - Lingua

JF - Lingua

ER -

Comparative syntax

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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