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Distributed for Center for the Study of Language and Information

Topics in the Clausal Syntax of German

This volume presents the first large-scale treatment of German syntax along the framework of Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG), which well suits German’s rich morphology and flexible word order. Berman addresses both empirical and theoretical concerns, examining phenomena that have long been discussed in the literature yet remain controversial.

The principles of LFG are applied to, and occasionally challenged by, three main areas of theoretical interest: subjects, traces, and complement clauses. This reaches central topics of German syntax, such as phrase structure, "subjectless" clauses, expletives, agreement, weak crossover, long-distance dependencies, distribution of subordinated clauses, correlative pronouns, and embedded clauses.

200 pages | 6 x 9 | © 2003

Studies in Constraint-Based Lexicalism

Language and Linguistics: General Language and Linguistics


Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction
2. Lexical Functional Grammar
3. Phrase Structure in German
4. Every Sentence in German has a Subject
5. Weak Crossover and Empty Categories
6. Long Distance Dependencies
7. Distribution of Sentential Arguments
8. Cooccurrence of Es with a Finite Clause
9. Conclusion
References
Index

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