Getting the (syntactic) measure of Measure Phrases

Bibliographic Data

ID20344011
AuthorsNorbert Corver (Utrecht University, corresponding author)
Year2009
Volume26
Issue1
Publication date2009-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Linguistic Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0167-6318 • E-ISSN: 1613-3676
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/tlir.2009.003
OpenAlexW2012714606
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited23

Taking the quest for symmetry in the analysis of the syntax of measure phrases (MP) as a heuristic background, this article tries to further our understanding of MPs by giving an in-depth, cross-linguistic analysis of adjectival and nominal constructions featuring an MP. It is shown that symmetry is found both at the level of phrase structural organization and at the level of displacement. As for the first level of symmetry, it is argued that MPs are predicate nominals and, as such, typically start out as small clause predicates within the nominal and adjectival projections. As for the second level of symmetry, it is argued that the same types of displacement processes (predicate inversion, remnant movement, head movement) are attested in nominal and adjectival constructions featuring MP. It is further noted that there is an intra-linguistic parallelism between the syntax of MPs and the syntax of possessors

Linguistics · Natural language processing · Programming language · Syntax · Computer Science · Linguistics and Discourse Analysis · Mathematics · Natural Language Processing Techniques · Philosophy · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation