Caterina Donati

Syntax and the Brain: Disentangling Grammar by Selective Anomalies

Many paradigms employed so far with functional imaging in language studies do not allow a clear differentiation of the semantic, morphological, and syntactic components, as traditionally defined within linguistic theory. In fact, many studies simply consider the brains response to lists of unrelated words, rather than to syntactic structures, or do not neutralize the confounding effect of the semantic component. In the present PET experiment, we isolated the functional correlates of morphological and syntactic processing. The neutralization of the access to the lexical-semantic component was achieved by requiring the detection of anomalies in written sentences consisting of pseudowords. In both syntactic and morphosyntactic processing, the involvement of a selective deep component of Brocas area and of a right inferior frontal region was detected. In addition, within this system, the left caudate nucleus and insula were activated only during syntactic processing, indicating their role in syntactic computation. These findings provide original in vivo evidence that these brain structures, whose individual contribution has been highlighted by clinical studies, constitute a neural network selectively engaged in morphological and syntactic computation.

Relabeling Heads: A Unified Account for Relativization Structures

A tenet of any version of phrase structure theory is that a lexical item can transmit its label when merged with another category. We assume that if it is internally merged, a lexical item can turn a clause into a nominal phrase. If the relabeling lexical item is a wh-word, a free relative results; if it is an N, a full relative results; if it is a non-wh D, a pseudorelative results. It follows that the head of a relative construction cannot be more complex than a lexical item. We show massive evidence that when it is otherwise (e.g., the book about Obama that you bought), the modifier is late-merged after the noun has moved and relabeled the structure.

From Focus to Syntax

In this paper, we argue that the location of the focused constituent within a sentence, as well as the definition of all the constituents that might be interpreted as focused, is predictable on the basis of the syntax of a given language. The major (though not only) division across languages as to the distribution of focus is related to the degree of freedom that languages allow for its location. The basic idea tested on basis of data taken from French, Italian, Turkish and English, is that the more prominence may move around within an intonational phrase, the more the language is characterized by rigid word order properties. Since infants are sensitive to prosodic properties since birth, we argue that it is feasible that infants use the location of intonational parameters in a preverbal stage.

Comparative clauses as free relatives: a raising analysis

This work deals with comparative clauses on the basis ofdata mainly takenfrom French and Italian. It is shown that while displaying all the properties typically associated with wh-movement, comparatives exhibit however a number ofweird features that strongly distinguishes themfrom other movement constructions. A new analysis is proposed which essentially identifies comparative clauses with free relatives, claiming crucially that both structures involve head movement ofa wh-element to C. In theflrstpart, this analysis is systematically compared with the Standard analysis originally proposed by Bresnan (1973, 1975), while the second pari is devoted to the whole comparative construction, providing a new representation for it.

Variation in Italian Sign Language (LIS): The Case of Wh-signs

Abstract The position of wh-items is one of the most striking features of the syntax of sign languages (SLs). In contrast to spoken languages, where wh-words are generally found either clause-initially or in situ, SLs allow wh-signs in situ, in clause-final position (preferred for many SLs), or repeated in two different positions of the clause. Moreover, in many cases all these options coexist in the same language (and even within a single signer). Several proposals in the theoretical literature showed how grammars are able to generate such constructions; however, none of the proposals addresses the issue of what factors determine the choice of these options. We present corpus evidence showing that both linguistic and social factors constrain the distribution of wh-signs in LIS (Lingua dei Segni Italiana, Italian Sign Language). The result of multivariate analysis suggests that LIS is undergoing a grammatical change and becoming less like spoken Italian with respect to the position of wh-signs.

La sintassi del soggetto nel quadro minimalista. Riflessioni su EPP e pro-drop

Under the radical shift of perspective due to the Minimalist Program (Chomsky 1995), many theoretical principles of the generative framework need to be revised and deeply rethought. This paper proposes a reflection about the impact of this new revolution on two central aspects of subject syntax, namely the Extended Projection Principle and the Null Subject Parameter. The paper is articulated through the comparison of a number of typological unrelated languages : 1) S(...)V non pro-drop languages, such as English, French and German ; 2) pro-drop languages such as Italian ; 3) VS languages such as Irish. This brief survey leads us to conclude that both aspects of Subject syntax cannot be derived under the most elementary mechanisms of minimalism. They remain on the contrary two autonomous components of the theory : EPP a primitive of Universal Grammar concerning the domain of Tense ; pro-drop an independent parameter defined in terms of activation of a specific functional projection : AgrP

SignGram Blueprint : A Guide to Sign Language Grammar Writing

Current grammatical knowledge about particular sign languages is fragmentary and of varying reliability, and it appears scattered in scientific publications where the description is often intertwined with the analysis. In general, comprehensive grammars are a rarity. The SignGram Blueprint is an innovative tool for the grammar writer: a full-fledged guide to describing all components of the grammars of sign languages in a thorough and systematic way, and with the highest scientific standards. The work builds on the existing knowledge in Descriptive Linguistics, but also on the insights from Theoretical Linguistics. It consists of two main parts running in parallel: the Checklist with all the grammatical features and phenomena the grammar writer can address, and the accompanying Manual with the relevant background information (definitions, methodological caveats, representative examples, tests, pointers to elicitation materials and bibliographical references). The areas covered are Phonology, Morphology, Lexicon, Syntax and Meaning. The Manual is endowed with hyperlinks that connect information across the work and with a pop-up glossary. The SignGram Blueprint will be a landmark for the description of sign language grammars in terms of quality and quantity.