Viable Syntax: Rethinking Minimalist Architecture

Abstract: Hauser et al. (2002) suggest that the human language faculty emerged as a genetic innovation in the form of what is called here a ‘keystone factor’—a single, simple, formal mental capability that, interacting with the pre-existing faculties of hominid ancestors, caused a cascade of effects resulting in the language faculty in modern humans. They take Merge to be the keystone factor, but instead it is posited here that Merge is the pre-existing mechanism of thought made viable by a principle that permits relations interpretable at the interfaces to be mapped onto c-command. The simplified minimalist architecture proposed here respects the keystone factor as closely as possible, but is justified on the basis of linguistic analyses it makes available, including a relativized intervention theory applicable across Case, scope, agreement, selection and linearization, a derivation of the A/A’-distinction from Case theory, and predictions such as why in situ wh-interpretation is island-ins.... https://bioling.psychopen.eu/index.php/bioling/article/view/8757

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Viable Syntax: Rethinking Minimalist Architecture ; volume:4 ; number:1 ; day:24 ; month:03 ; year:2010 ; Biolinguistics ; 4, Heft 1 (24.03.2010)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Safir, Ken

Further information

• DOI: 10.5964/bioling.8757
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2022110709230897510090
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:23 AM CEST