Binding
Proseminar in Syntax | Ling 226 | Fall 2012
Monday & Wednesday, 2-3:45 | The Cave
This course will focus on binding, a topic at the syntax-semantics interface. We will explore why and how theories of binding have evolved, and what sorts of factors constrain the theory of binding today.
| Week(s) | Topic | Readings | Homeworks and Handouts | |
| Part 1. The classic binding theory | ||||
| 1 | Preliminary binding conditions | Lees and Klima 1963 | HW 1: Pronominalization (due 10/8) | |
| 2 |
Transformation and interpretation Binding in GB theory |
Wasow 1979 ch 2 Chomsky 1986 ch 3 (excerpt) | ||
| 3 |
Binding in GB theory (con't) | Lasnik 1988 | HW 2: Sorting out a first range of theories (due 10/22) | |
| Part 2. Binding and coreference | ||||
| 4 |
A restatement of the anaphora questions |
Reinhart 1983 Grodzinsky and Reinhart 1993 | ||
| 5 | Developing the Reinhartian analysis | Heim 1993 | HW 3: Working through Heim 1993 | |
| 6 |
Heim's conditions: final version (Monday) Whatever happened to Condition C? (Wednesday) |
Davis, Waldie and Wojdak 2007 Lasnik 1989 | ||
| Part 3. Non-complementarity between pronouns and reflexives | ||||
| 7 |
Exempt anaphora |
Pollard and Sag 1992 | HW 4 | |
| 8 |
Reflexivity theory | Reinhart and Reuland 1993 | ||
| Part 4. Binding theory today | ||||
| 9 | Primitives of binding | Reuland 2001 | HW 5 | |
| 10 | Binding Book Club! | Safir 2004 | Final papers due 12/14 | |
Responsibilities of enrolled students are:
- Weekly readings
- Homeworks
- A final project
- Meeting with me as necessary throughout the term
- Readings folder (password protected)