The Oxford Handbook of Universal Grammar

Edited by Ian Roberts

Oxford Handbooks

Written by the world's leading experts in the field
Offers a complete guide to one of the central notions of modern linguistics
Includes insights from philosophy, typology, and language pathology

The Oxford Handbook of Universal Grammar

Edited by Ian Roberts

Description

This handbook provides a critical guide to the most central proposition in modern linguistics: the notion, generally known as Universal Grammar, that a universal set of structural principles underlies the grammatical diversity of the world's languages. Part I considers the implications of Universal Grammar for philosophy of mind and the philosophy of language, and examines the history of the theory. Part II focuses on linguistic theory, looking at topics such as explanatory adequacy and how phonology and semantics fit into Universal Grammar. Parts III and IV look respectively at the insights derived from UG-inspired research on language acquisition, and at comparative syntax and language typology, while part V considers the evidence for Universal Grammar in phenomena such as creoles, language pathology, and sign language. The book will be a vital reference for linguists, philosophers, and cognitive scientists.

The Oxford Handbook of Universal Grammar

Edited by Ian Roberts

Oxford Handbooks

Preface
List of Figures and Tables
List of Abbreviations
The Contributors
1. Introduction, Ian Roberts
PART I: Philosophical Background
2. Universal Grammar and Philosophy of Mind, Wolfram Hinzen
3. Universal Grammar and Philosophy of Language, Peter Ludlow
4. On the History of Universal Grammar, John McGilvray
PART II: Linguistic Theory
5. The Concept of Explanatory Adequacy, Luigi Rizzi
6. Third-factor Explanations and Universal Grammar, Terje Lohndal and Juan Uriagereka
7. Formal and Functional Explanation, Frederick J. Newmeyer
8. Phonology in Universal Grammar, Brett Miller, Neil Myler, and Bert Vaux
9. Semantics in Universal Grammar, George Tsoulas
PART III: Language Acquisition
10. The Argument from the Poverty of the Stimulus, Howard Lasnik and Jeffrey L. Lidz
11. Learnability, Janet Dean Fodor and William G. Sakas
12. First Language Acquisition, Maria Teresa Guasti
13. The Role of Universal Grammar in Non-native Language Acquisition, Bonnie D. Schwartz and Rex A. Sprouse
PART IV: Comparative Syntax
14. Principles and Parameters of Universal Grammar, C.-T. James Huang and Ian Roberts
15. Linguistic Typology, Anders Holmberg
16. Parameter Theory and Parametric Comparison, Cristina Guardiano and Giuseppe Longobardi
PART V: Wider Issues
17. A Null Theory of Creole Formation Based on Universal Grammar, Enoch O. Aboh and Michel DeGraff
18. Language Change, Eric Fuss
19. Language Pathology, Ianthi Tsimpli, Maria Kambanaros, and Kleanthes K. Grohmann
20. The Syntax of Sign Language and Universal Grammar, Carlo Cecchetto
21. Looking for UG in Animals: A Case Study in Phonology, Bridget D. Samuels, Marc D. Hauser, and Cedric Boeckx
References
Index

The Oxford Handbook of Universal Grammar

Edited by Ian Roberts

Oxford Handbooks

Author Information

Ian Roberts is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Cambridge, having previously held posts in Geneva, Bangor, and Stuttgart. He was president of Generative Linguistics of the Old World (GLOW) in 1993-2001, and of the Societas Linguistica Europaea in 2012-13. He is currently Principle Investigator on the European Research Council Advanced Grant 'Rethinking Comparative Syntax'. He has published six monographs and two textbooks, including Diachronic Syntax (OUP, 2007), and has edited several collections of articles.

Contributors:

Enoch O. Aboh, University of Amsterdam
Cedric Boeckx, University of Barcelona
Carlo Cecchetto, Università di Milano Bicocca
Michel DeGraff, MIT
Janet Dean Fodor, CUNY Graduate Center
Eric Fuß, Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main
Kleanthes K. Grohmann, University of Cyprus
Cristina Guardiano, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia
Maria Teresa Guasti, Università di Milano Bicocca
Marc D. Hauser, Risk Eraser LLC
Wolfram Hinzen, ICREA/Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona
Anders Holmberg, Newcastle University
C.-T. James Huang, Harvard University
Maria Kambanaros, Cyprus University of Technology
Howard Lasnik, University of Maryland, College Park
Jeffrey L. Lidz, University of Maryland, College Park
Terje Lohndal, Norwegian University of Science and Technology/UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Giuseppe Longobardi, University of York
Peter Ludlow, Northwestern University
John McGilvray, McGill University
Brett Miller, University of Nebraska
Neil Myler, Boston University
Frederick J. Newmeyer, University of Washington
Luigi Rizzi, Università degli Studi di Siena/Université de Genève
Ian Roberts, University of Cambridge
William G. Sakas, Hunter College/CUNY Graduate Center
Bridget D. Samuels, Pomona College
Bonnie D. Schwartz, University of Hawai'i
Rex A. Sprouse, Indiana University
Ianthi Tsimpli, University of Cambridge
George Tsoulas, University of York
Juan Uriagereka, University of Maryland, College Park
Bert Vaux, University of Cambridge