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Series:   Elements in Generative Syntax

Merge and the Strong Minimalist Thesis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 November 2023

Noam Chomsky ,
T. Daniel Seely ,
Robert C. Berwick ,
Sandiway Fong ,
M. A. C. Huybregts ,
Hisatsugu Kitahara ,
Andrew McInnerney  and
Yushi Sugimoto
Noam Chomsky
Affiliation:
University of Arizona
T. Daniel Seely
Affiliation:
Eastern Michigan University
Robert C. Berwick
Affiliation:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sandiway Fong
Affiliation:
University of Arizona
M. A. C. Huybregts
Affiliation:
Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands
Hisatsugu Kitahara
Affiliation:
Keio University, Tokyo
Andrew McInnerney
Affiliation:
University of Michigan
Yushi Sugimoto
Affiliation:
University of Tokyo

Summary

The goal of this contribution to the Elements series is to closely examine Merge, its form, its function, and its central role in current linguistic theory. It explores what it does (and does not do), why it has the form it has, and its development over time. The basic idea behind Merge is quite simple. However, Merge interacts, in intricate ways, with other components including the language's interfaces, laws of nature, and certain language-specific conditions. Because of this, and because of its fundamental place in the human faculty of language, this Element's focus on Merge provides insights into the goals and development of generative grammar more generally, and its prospects for the future.
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Keywords

Mergeminimalismgenerative syntaxStrong Minimalist Thesisthird factor
Type
Element
Information
Series: Elements in Generative Syntax
Online ISBN: 9781009343244
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication: 14 December 2023

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