Diachronic Syntax

Bibliographic Data

ID4238269
AuthorsMark Hale (0000-0002-9147-4513, Concordia University, corresponding author)
Year1998
Volume1
Issue1
Pages1-18
Publication date1998-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSyntax (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1368-0005 • E-ISSN: 1467-9612
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1467-9612.00001
OpenAlexW4239929569
LanguageEN
Citations received19

Current research on diachronic syntax has yet to provide an account of syntactic change consistent with our theoretical understanding of "knowledge of language" and its acquisition. However, explanatory adequacy requires us to account for all acquisition - this includes the acquisition of grammars that diverge from their sources (i.e., change) as well as that of fully convergent grammars. This paper argues that an adequate explanation of change phenomena is unattainable given the current widespread confusion regarding such critical concepts as "language,""language change,'" and "syntax." It seeks to develop a coherent theory of syntactic change, which necessitates clarification of these fundamental matters. I believe that syntactic change should fall out from an adequate theory of syntax (along with a learning algorithm). This paper frames these issues within a Minimalist perspective. Finally, I present evidence that the study of change may provide valuable insights into the proper characterization of certain syntactic phenomena within current syntactic theory

Confusion · Language change · Linguistics · Natural language processing · Perspective (graphical · Rule-based machine translation · Syntax · Computer Science · Language and cultural evolution · Natural Language Processing Techniques · Philosophy · Psychology · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation · Artificial Intelligence

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