Generative syntax - please recommend books

[stylz88]

Hi   I'm an international student and I want to buy good resources (books) that I need for my linguistics. (PHD or Master level) 

 

I have studied linguistics in my undergraduate and have top marks in my school. But here for linguistics we mostly apply to English language and I think I need to catch up to American students who are already studied generative grammar. 

 

What books will you recommend (university level) that I can read before going to a U.S. program? On the topic of generative grammar, phonology and also syntax. I want something like a university/graduate level book. If there is a book that all undergraduate students already know and read (and always referring to in linguistic class), please let me know!!! so I will not be left-behind. 

 

I know professors will give me reading list when I start my graduate study but I want to start early. Electronic books are good but I can also order a physical book if I need. Thanks!!

 

[Tanner]

As regards an introduction to generative syntax proper, I'm not sure if there is a consensus as to which textbook is best. There are a lot of them. Maybe someone else here has an opinion and can recommend one of them. Alternatively, I can send you some introductory resources for syntax such as survey papers and slides, if you want. Just PM me. It would probably be best that you come to understand the basics of syntax (phrase-structure and transformations) before covering the specific topics covered in the books below.

 

The following two books are able to be read without prior knowledge, but as both of these deal with topics that are somewhat semantic, they probably should be read after the reader already has an understanding of syntax more narrowly construed.

 

Binding Theory by Daniel Buering

Semantics in Generative Grammar by Heim & Kratzer

 

Heim & Kratzer is probably the standard introduction to Montague-like semantics for natural language applied to generative grammar. Chierchia has one that is also well-regarded, but more situated in formal semantics and philosophy of language than this one, so the syntactician probably prefers this one.

 

The following book is an introduction to minimalist syntax, but it demands some knowledge of government and binding theory.

 

Understanding Minimalism by Hornstein et al.

Edited January 4, 2013 by Tanner

[stylz88]

Great! Thanks for the first step. I will definitely look for these! 

 

If anyone else has another suggestion for books, I am open to it. 

 

This has also led me to another question, For the students who are already admited for linguistics graduate program, what software programs you must know before entering graduate school? (Besides software like Word and Excel) Is there any special one that American students use in linguistics? 

[Lyra Belacqua]

My syntax class in undergrad used Andrew Carnie's Syntax: A Generative Introduction, which starts out very basic and covers a range of topics (binding, control, wh-movement, covert movement, …). I was sort of reading Adger's Core Syntax in my spare time (didn't manage to read all of it) the summer before I started grad school, in the 2 weeks or so between moving into town and the start of the semester. It both goes faster and gets more advanced; plus, the framework is explicitly Minimalist from the start, rather than going through X-bar theory and such first (thus, it more closely resembles what you'll see in actual current literature and probably in class). But I think the Carnie is good for gaining basic familiarity with concepts and why those concepts are important for developing a syntactic theory (what's a constituent? what's the difference between unergative and unaccusative verbs? what's the difference between raising and control? if the verb and the object form a constituent, how does VSO word order work?). That's what I thought at the time, at least.

 

I like to use LaTeX for papers (I find it particularly useful for trees, tableaux, and even just numbered examples), but not everyone in my program does or even knows how. I didn't learn it until my first semester of grad school anyway -- I resolved early on to do all my homework in LaTeX, and figured it out as I went along. So that's not something that anyone "must" know by any means, especially before starting grad school. I will probably find myself in the position of needing to learn R at some point (possibly quite soon), but I'm not really worrying about it until the concrete need arises. As far as linguistics topics are concerned, my program (like most others that I'm familiar with) requires first-year students to take introductory courses in syntax, semantics, and phonology that assume no prior background. Beyond that, and since, I'm always thinking "I ought to know more about (some topic)" and hunting around for stuff to read (or reading that famous paper on the topic that everyone cites), or asking my mentors for suggestions of what to read.

[Chase Wang]

 

Stylz88, what have you covered/read so far?

[stylz88]

In class the professor gave us photocopy materials. I think they were from more than 1 textbook. We also did internet searches and wikipedia for writing articles on linguistic topics. But it is mostly applied linguistics for English study, everyone wants to speak English well to get a job. One of the visiting professor was from Australia and she taught a little generative grammar (I don't know which book). It was the first time our class studied it. She gave me good advice about graduate schools in U.S.A. where I have some relatives and I lived when I was little (grade school). She said it will be good for me to know more about the kind of linguistics that will be in graduate school, not only linguistics applied for English. So I decided to read about generative grammar, I hope I can learn some of it (in 1 year) and decide which graduate schools (later). 

 

So... that means I covered nothing in generative grammar yet! Thank you Lyra B for your answer.

[mq1]

Syntax: A Generative Introduction

Andrew Carnie

best book 

2ed edition I guess

[mq1]

Actually there is a new third edition

[legatrix]

I second the Adger book. It has an unfortunate collection of reviews on the US Amazon, but this may be because you have to read it from start to finish rather than dipping into it randomly to get up to speed on certain topics. He has a great writing style and doesn't treat you like an idiot, so if you stick with it, you'll come out feeling smarter!

 

If you prefer the style of book with many worked examples to drill it in to you, I can recommend Andrew Radford's ever-updating series of introductory books. The one I used was 'Analysing English Sentences'. While not as dry as some, it does have an overly pedagogical feel to it which sometimes makes you wonder what the whole thing is leading up to, whereas with Adger you feel the sparkle of usefulness to current research from the beginning. That's my take, anyway.

[stylz88]

Thank you very much for all the book suggestions. I really appreciate it!! I will def. be studying hard for one year   and hopefully my GRE will be good enough to get accepted into graduate school. 

 

Any other comments on software that will be good for me to learn?