The Syntax and Semantics of Nominal Modification

Spring 2005
Dickinson 210, W 2.30-5.00

June 13-17, Summer 2005
1175-147, M-F 4-6.30
ULCL, University of Leiden

Rajesh Bhatt
bhatt@linguist.umass.edu
222 South College, 545-6832
Office Hours: TTh 2.15-3.30 or by appointment

LOT Office Hours: 1166-207, M-F 1-3.30 or by appointment


Syllabus

Themes
In this course, we will explore topics pertaining to the syntax and semantics of nominal modification. In its simplest form - restrictive modification of an NP by a full relative clause - we have a certain understanding of how things work though several important questions remain undecided. Starting from such cases, we will move on to other less well understood structures that involve modification such as correlatives, reduced relatives, and adjectives. We will examine the modifiers along two dimensions: their size, which seems to roughly correlative with the independence of their spatiotemporal variables, and how they combine with the NP they modify. Thus we will be interested in both their internal syntax and their external syntax.


Topics

Requirements

Active participation in class, readings, two class presentations, a two page abstract for the term paper, and the term paper itself. The abstract will be due on April 6 and the paper on May 11, the day of the last class. The second presentation should ideally be used to develop and get feedback on your term paper.

LOT Summer School Lectures

UMass Lectures