Theta Theory

Author/creator Haiden, Martin, 1969- Author
Format Electronic
Publication InfoNew York : Walter De Gruyter Incorporated
Description293 p. ill 09.280 x 06.540 in.
Supplemental ContentFull text available from Ebook Central - Academic Complete
Subjects

SeriesStudies in Generative Grammar Vol. 78
Summary Annotation Theta Theory explores the lexicon as an interface in the strict sense, as facilitating the flow of information between cognition and the computational system of language. It argues for the traditional concept of a listed lexicon, where semantic roles are encoded as features of verbs, and against event decomposition. Part one of the book discusses the link between cognition and the lexicon. Mainstream theories of lexical semantics are critically reviewed. Furthermore, this part provides an extensive description of the relevant data in German, including agentivity, causation, psychological predicates, and different types of diathesis alternations. Part two is devoted to the link between the lexicon and syntax. It develops an interpretational theory of thematic alignment based on the assumption that argument structure does not determine syntactic derivation. Rather, predicate-argument relations are an interpretation of syntactic structure, and an increased explanatory burden is attributed to morphophonology. The theory is applied to a wide range of German constructions including modal infinitives, the present and gerundive participle, the past/passive/adjectival participle, verbal particles, auxiliary selection, and unaccusatives/reflexives.
Access restrictionAvailable only to authorized users.
Technical detailsMode of access: World Wide Web
Genre/formElectronic books.
LCCN 2005011293
ISBN9783110182859
ISBN3110182858 (Trade Cloth) Active Record
Standard identifier# 9783110182859
Stock number00007582