1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910811932803321

Autore

Haiden Martin <1969->

Titolo

Theta theory / / by Martin Haiden

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Berlin ; ; New York, : Mouton de Gruyter, c2005

ISBN

1-283-39650-5

9786613396501

3-11-916657-X

3-11-019747-2

Edizione

[1st ed.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (308 p.)

Collana

Studies in generative grammar ; ; 78

Classificazione

GC 7367

Disciplina

413.028

Soggetti

Lexicology

Cognition

Semantics

Grammar, Comparative and general - Syntax

German language - Verb

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. [275]-289) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Front matter -- Contents -- Chapter 1. From lexical semantics to cognitive psychology, and back again -- Chapter 2. German verbs: lexical representation and argument realization -- Chapter 3. A Bare Phrase Structure of Argument Expression -- Chapter 4. Applications and extensions: participial and infinitival constructions -- Back matter

Sommario/riassunto

Theta Theory explores the lexicon as an interface in the strict sense, as facilitating the flow of information between cognition and the computational system of language. It argues for the traditional concept of a listed lexicon, where semantic roles are encoded as features of verbs, and against event decomposition. Part one of the book discusses the link between cognition and the lexicon. Mainstream theories of lexical semantics are critically reviewed. Furthermore, this part provides an extensive description of the relevant data in German, including agentivity, causation, psychological predicates, and different types of diathesis alternations. Part two is devoted to the link between the lexicon and syntax. It develops a parallel model of grammatical



derivation, which allows the formulation of robust generalizations over thematic role assignment, but at the same time acknowledges the relevance of other components, in particular morpho-phonology and narrow syntax. The theory is applied to a wide range of German constructions including modal infinitives, the present and gerundive participle, the past/passive/adjectival participle, verbal particles, auxiliary selection, and unaccusatives/reflexives. The book is of interest for students and scholars of lexical semantics, for descriptive German linguistics, and for linguists concerned with the development of the Minimalist Program.