Syntax of Relative Clauses - A Unified Analysis

Drawing on a wide range of languages, Cinque argues that all relative clause types derive from a single, double-headed, structure.

List of contents

Introduction; 1. Preliminaries; 2. Deriving the cross-linguistically attested types of restrictive/maximalizing relative clauses from a double-headed structure; 3. Deriving the other types of relative clauses from a double-headed structure; 4. 'Strategies' for the realization of the internal head; 5. Some residual questions; Conclusion; Appendix. Possible evidence for the existence of non-'raising' derivations.

About the author

Guglielmo Cinque is Professor of Linguistics at Ca' Foscari University of Venice.

Summary

Relative clauses play a hugely important role in analysing the structure of sentences. This book provides the first evidence that a unified analysis of the different types of relative clauses is possible - a step forward in our understanding. Using careful analyses of a wide range of languages, Cinque argues that the relative clause types can all be derived from a single, double-headed, structure. He also presents evidence that restrictive, maximalizing, ('integrated') non-restrictive, kind-defining, infinitival and participial RCs merge at different heights of the nominal extended projection. This book provides an elegant generalization about the structure of all relatives. Theoretically profound and empirically rich, it promises to radically alter the way we think about this subject for years to come.

Product details

• Authors: Guglielmo Cinque, Guglielmo (Universita Degli Studi DI Venez Cinque, Guglielmo (Universita degli Studi di Venezia) Cinque, Cinque Guglielmo
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.04.2020
• EAN: 9781108479707
• ISBN: 978-1-108-47970-7
• No. of pages: 320
• Series: Cambridge Studies in Linguistics; Cambridge Studies in Linguisti
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative linguistics; LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / General, Grammar, syntax & morphology, Grammar, syntax and morphology