This thesis traces the history of the concept of parameter in Generative Grammar, from the first steps of the Principles and Parameters model in the late 1970s to the advent of the Minimalist Program (MP), examining how this notion has been implemented both during and after this transition. The analysis carried out in this dissertation starts from the systematization of the so-called “standard theory” of Generative Grammar in Aspects of the Theory of Syntax (1965) until the last developments of the MP. Chapter I offers an overview of the protohistory of the concept of parameter by focusing on the factors, both theoretical and empirical, at the basis of the systematic formulation of this notion in Chomsky (1981). The theoretical factors are identified with the distinction between descriptive and explanatory adequacy and Chomsky’s proposed solution to the so-called problem of the poverty of the stimulus. The empirical factor consists in the outcome of Rizzi’s and Taraldsen’s pre-parametric inquiries, which shed new light on the systematicity of linguistic variation. In Chapter II, I examine the individual formulation of the main parameters that were proposed in Generative Grammar within the Government-Binding (GB) Theory of the Eighties. While the parameters at issue are taken from the list that is proposed in Rizzi (2014), in the first part of the chapter they are retrospectively classified according to the specific syntactic property they would refer to in current minimalist theories. Chapter III focuses on the debate about the concept of parameter which took place during the first decade of the 21st century. The first two positions which are discussed are Kayne’s (2000, 2005) microparametric approach, which draws from the idea that parametric variation is located in the lexicon, and Baker’s (2001, 2008) macroparametric approach, which instead relies on the classical idea that parameters are expressed on principles. These two approaches are then confronted with Newmeyer’s (2004, 2005) criticism, which points out their descriptive and theoretical flaws. This chapter ends with the presentation of the parametric model proposed by Roberts & Holmberg (2010), which overcomes the limitations of micro- and macro-parameters by combining a lexically-based, microparametric view of linguistic variation with the idea that parametric variation is an emergent property of the interaction of UG, primary linguistic data, and third-factor considerations. Chapters IV and V evaluate the classical parameters of the GB Theory which still play a role in current generative theory. Chapter IV reviews the null subject parameter, the V-to-T movement parameter, the polysynthesis parameter, and the overt vs covert whmovement parameter, while Chapter V is devoted to the history of the head-complement parameter. While on the one hand null subject, V-to-T, and polysynthesis can be reconciled with Roberts & Holmberg’s theory, which is based on the assumption that the locus of parameters is the functional lexicon, on the other it is argued that wh-movement and head-directionality pertain to the A-P nterface, as envisioned by Berwick & Chomsky (2011). The picture emerging from this analysis highlights that the nature of parametric variation is twofold: syntactic and post-syntactic. This has an interesting consequence on the duality between head-movement and phrasal movement, as only in narrow syntax heads are observed to move, with XPs being linearized post-syntactically.
Questa tesi traccia la storia del concetto di parametro in Grammatica Generativa a partire dai primi sviluppi del modello a Principi e Parametri negli ultimi anni Settanta fino all’avvento del programma Minimalista (Minimalist Program, MP), esaminando il modo nel quale questa nozione è stata implementata sia durante che successivamente a questa transizione. L’analisi oggetto di questa tesi si sviluppa a partire dalla sistematizzazione della cosiddetta “teoria standard” della Grammatica Generativa, avvenuta in Aspects of the Theory of Syntax (1965), fino agli ultimi sviluppi del MP. Il Capitolo I offre una panoramica della protostoria del concetto di parametro ponendo particolare attenzione ai fattori, sia teorici che empirici, alla base della formulazione di questa nozione in Chomsky (1981). I fattori teorici sono identificati con la distinzione tra adeguatezza descrittiva ed esplicativa e con la soluzione proposta da Chomsky al problema della povertà dello stimolo, mentre il fattore empirico consiste nel risultato delle indagini pre-parametriche operate da Rizzi e Taraldsen, le quali gettarono nuova luce sulla sistematicità della variazione linguistica. Nel Capitolo II sono esaminate le single formulazioni dei principali parametri proposti dalla Grammatica Generativa nel quadro della teoria della Reggenza e del Legamento (Government and Binding, GB) degli anni Ottanta. Sebbene i parametri in questione siano gli stessi che compaiono nella lista proposta da Rizzi (2014), nella prima parte di questo capitolo essi sono retrospettivamente classificati in base alla specifica proprietà sintattica alla quale farebbero riferimento secondo le correnti teorie minimaliste. Il Capitolo III si focalizza sul dibattito che, durante la prima decade degli anni Duemila, ebbe al suo centro proprio il concetto di parametro. Le prime due posizioni teoriche discusse sono l’approccio microparametrico di Kayne (2000, 2005), il quale si basa sul presupposto che la variazione parametrica è localizzata nel lessico, e quello macroparametrico di Baker (2001, 2008), basato invece sull’idea tradizionale che i parametri sono espressi sui principi. Questi due approcci teorici sono quindi confrontati con la critica di Newmeyer (2004, 2005), la quale ne evidenzia le carenze di carattere sia descrittivo che teorico. Questo capitolo si conclude con la presentazione del modello parametrico proposto da Roberts e Holmberg (2010), il quale supera le rispettive limitazioni dei modelli micro- e macro-parametrici combinando una prospettiva microparametrica basata sul lessico con l’idea che la variazione parametrica emergerebbe dall’interazione tra Grammatica Universale, dati linguistici di base e principi di terzo fattore (non specifici del linguaggio). I Capitoli IV and V tracciano un bilancio dei parametri della teoria GB che giocano tuttora un ruolo nella teoria generativa moderna. Il Capitolo IV esamina il parametro del soggetto nullo, il parametrio del movimento del verbo, il parametro della polisintesi e il parametro dell’opposizione tra movimento vs permanenza in situ dei sintagmi wh-, mentre il Capitolo V è dedicato alla storia del parametro testa-complemento. Se da un lato il soggetto nullo, il movimento del verbo e il fenomeno della polisintesi possono essere spiegati tramite il modello di Roberts e Holmberg, dall’altro si afferma che il movimento-wh e l’ordine testa-complemento riguarderebbero, come considerato da Berwick e Chomsky (2011), l’interfaccia articolativo-percettiva. Lo scenario che emerge da questa analisi sottolinea la duplice natura della variazione parametrica: sintattica e post-sintattica. Questa conclusione ci conduce ad una considerazione interessante relativamente alla dicotomia tra movimento di testa (X) e movimento di sintagma (XP): mentre il movimento di testa si osserverebbe unicamente nella sintassi in senso stretto, i sintagmi sarebbero invece soggetti a linearizzazione ad un livello post-sintattico.
A history of the concept of parameter in Generative Grammar
Riolfi, Alessandro
2017
Abstract
This thesis traces the history of the concept of parameter in Generative Grammar, from the first steps of the Principles and Parameters model in the late 1970s to the advent of the Minimalist Program (MP), examining how this notion has been implemented both during and after this transition. The analysis carried out in this dissertation starts from the systematization of the so-called “standard theory” of Generative Grammar in Aspects of the Theory of Syntax (1965) until the last developments of the MP. Chapter I offers an overview of the protohistory of the concept of parameter by focusing on the factors, both theoretical and empirical, at the basis of the systematic formulation of this notion in Chomsky (1981). The theoretical factors are identified with the distinction between descriptive and explanatory adequacy and Chomsky’s proposed solution to the so-called problem of the poverty of the stimulus. The empirical factor consists in the outcome of Rizzi’s and Taraldsen’s pre-parametric inquiries, which shed new light on the systematicity of linguistic variation. In Chapter II, I examine the individual formulation of the main parameters that were proposed in Generative Grammar within the Government-Binding (GB) Theory of the Eighties. While the parameters at issue are taken from the list that is proposed in Rizzi (2014), in the first part of the chapter they are retrospectively classified according to the specific syntactic property they would refer to in current minimalist theories. Chapter III focuses on the debate about the concept of parameter which took place during the first decade of the 21st century. The first two positions which are discussed are Kayne’s (2000, 2005) microparametric approach, which draws from the idea that parametric variation is located in the lexicon, and Baker’s (2001, 2008) macroparametric approach, which instead relies on the classical idea that parameters are expressed on principles. These two approaches are then confronted with Newmeyer’s (2004, 2005) criticism, which points out their descriptive and theoretical flaws. This chapter ends with the presentation of the parametric model proposed by Roberts & Holmberg (2010), which overcomes the limitations of micro- and macro-parameters by combining a lexically-based, microparametric view of linguistic variation with the idea that parametric variation is an emergent property of the interaction of UG, primary linguistic data, and third-factor considerations. Chapters IV and V evaluate the classical parameters of the GB Theory which still play a role in current generative theory. Chapter IV reviews the null subject parameter, the V-to-T movement parameter, the polysynthesis parameter, and the overt vs covert whmovement parameter, while Chapter V is devoted to the history of the head-complement parameter. While on the one hand null subject, V-to-T, and polysynthesis can be reconciled with Roberts & Holmberg’s theory, which is based on the assumption that the locus of parameters is the functional lexicon, on the other it is argued that wh-movement and head-directionality pertain to the A-P nterface, as envisioned by Berwick & Chomsky (2011). The picture emerging from this analysis highlights that the nature of parametric variation is twofold: syntactic and post-syntactic. This has an interesting consequence on the duality between head-movement and phrasal movement, as only in narrow syntax heads are observed to move, with XPs being linearized post-syntactically.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14242/113361
URN:NBN:IT:UNIVR-113361