Previous classes

• LING419: The Grammar of Comparison [syllabus]

This course examines the relationship between syntax and semantics, by treating comparative clauses as a case study (e.g., Mal is taller than Val is). We will learn how syntax often contains silent elements, and how we can diagnose their presence. We will also learn how to give a ‘compositional’ analysis of the meaning of a sentence – an account of the sentence’s meaning that depends on the meaning of its parts and how they are syntactically combined.

We will also look at the structure of closely-related constructions like coordinations (Mal is tall and Val is too), and constructions involving deletion of syntactic structure (‘ellipsis’). A variety of languages will be covered (including Hindi, Japanese, and Washo). Psycholinguistic issues pertaining to the acquisition and processing of comparatives and philosophical issues surrounding the nature of meaning and reference will be discussed when relevant.