Coordination and the Syntax - Discourse Interface

This survey explores the interactions between syntax and discourse through a case study of patterns of extraction from coordinate structures. It raises theoretical and empirical questions for syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse structure. The volume outlines reasonable hypotheses that can be deduced from empirical facts, showing that coordinate structures have the potential to discriminate between current syntactic theories and inform work on the interfaces between syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse. However, much empirical work needs to be carried out, and the literature often revolves around English examples. The volume offers a starting point for further research on extraction from coordinate structures, particularly in understudied languages, and provides a guide to how to tease out the theoretical implications of empirical findings.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 09 June 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

This comprehensive survey delves into the intricate interplay between syntax and discourse,through a detailed case study of patterns of extraction from coordinate structures. With its broad theoretical scope,this volume stands as the most comprehensive account of extraction from coordinate structures to date,at first glance appearing to be solely a syntactic concern. However,the survey raises profound theoretical and empirical questions that extend beyond syntax,spanning semantics,pragmatics,and discourse structure. Rather than advocating for a singular analysis,Daniel Altshuler and Robert Truswell present plausible hypotheses that enable theoretical inferences to be drawn from empirical evidence. The theoretical findings reveal that coordinate structures possess the potential to differentiate between current syntactic theories and to inform work on the interfaces between syntax,semantics,pragmatics,and discourse. In many instances,however,the necessary empirical research has yet to be conducted,and much of the literature revolves around a limited selection of primarily English examples. This volume serves as a valuable starting point for further exploration of extraction from coordinate structures,particularly in understudied languages,and provides guidance on how to unravel the theoretical implications of empirical findings.

Weight: 770g
Dimension: 250 x 178 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198804239