Synopses & Reviews
A critique of two fundamental assumptions: do phrases really form hierarchical 'trees' and have 'heads'?
Synopsis
Accounts of syntax are usually based on two assumptions: firstly, that a sentence comprises a hierarchy of phrases, forming a 'tree' structure; and secondly, that phrases have 'heads', on which subordinate units depend. These fundamental assumptions are questioned in this critical new survey, which argues that neither concept is important as is claimed, and that syntactic relations are in fact far more varied. Suitable for non-specialists and complete with a clear and useful glossary, Syntactic Relations will become an essential and thought-provoking read for students and researchers in linguistic theory.
About the Author
Peter Matthews is Emeritus Professor of Linguistics and Fellow of St John's College, University of Cambridge.