Description
Book SynopsisMany works on linguistic typology deal in some detail with one or more particular grammatical topics without clearly demonstrating how these relate to other categories or construction types. The Essence of Linguistic Analysis by R. M. W. Dixon presents a framework which connects individual topics in a cogent and coherent way, showing their dependencies and locating each in its place within the overall tapestry of a language. A clear distinction is made between semantic roles and syntactic functions. And it is held that the basic constituents of a language are lexical elements. Grammatical items serve to link together lexical units. At every level of analysis, the central units are lexical with grammar providing ancillary indicators.
Trade Review"To sum up, as a condensational up-to-date volume, Essence is indeed a mandatory reading for scholars in the field of linguistic typology since it manages to unveil the nature of human language within the wider theoretical framework." ~ Yifan Liu and Sihong Zhang, Hefei University of Technology in Folia Linguistica, (2023, aop)
Table of ContentsContents Preface VII Acknowledgements IX Abbreviations X Abstract Keywords Introduction 1 Preliminaries 2 The Basic Scheme 3 Semantic Types and Semantic Roles 4 Peripheral Arguments 5 Clauses within Phrases and Clauses within Clauses 6 Free and Bound Pronouns 7 Head of a Verb Phrase 8 Copula Clauses and Verbless Clauses 9 Types of Intransitive Subject, S 10 The Sentence and Above Commentary and Notes Preliminary Note Notes to Sections References Index Books by R. M. W. Dixon
