The Oxford Handbook of Experimental Syntax

The Oxford Handbook of Experimental Syntax provides an overview of formal experimental methods in syntactic research, exploring their contributions to the field. It combines traditional acceptability judgment methods with emerging techniques from acquisition, psycholinguistics, and neurolinguistics, offering high-level reviews and guidance for researchers.

Format: Hardback
Length: 704 pages
Publication date: 16 March 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The contributions of formal experimental methods to syntactic research in the twenty-first century are showcased in this comprehensive volume. Syntactic theory, as a field of study in its own right, forms an integral part of an overarching theory of the cognitive neuroscience of language. It offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the mediation between sound and meaning, the construction of representations during sentence processing, and the ultimate outcome of language acquisition. Given the intricate and interactive nature of syntactic theory, this volume defines experimental syntax in the broadest possible terms, encompassing both traditional experimental methods that have been integral to the field since its inception and innovative approaches that have emerged through the interplay between syntactic theory and domains such as acquisition, psycholinguistics, and neurolinguistics.

The Oxford Handbook of Experimental Syntax brings these diverse methods together for the first time, presenting high-level reviews of significant experimental work, offering guidance for researchers seeking to incorporate these methods into their research, and inspiring new research that will push the boundaries of syntactic theory. This volume is of immense appeal to students and scholars at the advanced undergraduate and postgraduate levels, spanning a wide range of disciplines including syntax, acquisition, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, and computational linguistics.

In the first chapter, the editors provide an overview of the historical development of formal experimental methods in syntactic research. They trace the roots of these methods back to the early twentieth century, when scholars such as Ferdinand de Saussure and Noam Chomsky introduced structuralist approaches to language analysis. These methods focused on the analysis of linguistic structures at the macro level, such as phrases, sentences, and languages. Over time, these methods evolved to incorporate more cognitive and psychological perspectives, leading to the development of experimental paradigms that measure the processing of language in real-time.

The second chapter explores the theoretical foundations of formal experimental methods in syntactic research. The editors discuss the key concepts and principles that guide these methods, including the notion of linguistic competence, the role of memory, and the interaction between language production and perception. They also introduce the concept of cognitive load, which refers to the mental effort required to process language, and discuss how it can be manipulated in experimental settings to study the effects of different linguistic structures on language processing.

The third chapter focuses on specific experimental methods used in syntactic research. The editors introduce a range of methods, including acceptability judgment methods, sentence comprehension tasks, eye-tracking studies, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Each method is described in detail, with examples of how it has been used to study different aspects of syntactic processing. The chapter also discusses the advantages and limitations of each method and provides guidance for researchers who wish to incorporate these methods into their own work.

In the fourth chapter, the editors present a series of case studies that illustrate the practical applications of formal experimental methods in syntactic research. The case studies cover a wide range of topics, including the acquisition of syntax by children, the processing of complex sentences by adults, and the effects of language variation on syntactic processing. The authors discuss the findings of these studies and provide insights into the theoretical implications of their results.

The fifth chapter explores the interdisciplinary connections between formal experimental methods and other fields of research. The editors discuss the ways in which syntactic theory can inform the study of language acquisition, psycholinguistics, and neurolinguistics. They also highlight the potential benefits of integrating these fields of research to gain a deeper understanding of language processing.

The sixth chapter discusses the future directions of formal experimental methods in syntactic research. The editors discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, including the development of new experimental paradigms, the use of advanced technology, and the integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence. They also suggest potential areas of research that could be explored using these methods, such as the study of language processing in different populations, the development of new models of syntactic processing, and the investigation of the relationship between syntax and other cognitive domains.

In conclusion, The Oxford Handbook of Experimental Syntax is a groundbreaking resource for students and scholars in the field of syntax. It provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of formal experimental methods in syntactic research, covering a wide range of topics and presenting cutting-edge research from leading experts in the field. This volume will be an invaluable tool for anyone seeking to advance their understanding of syntactic theory and its application to language processing.

Weight: 1492g
Dimension: 252 x 178 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198797722