Lexical-Functional Grammar

This is a textbook introducing the syntactic theory of Lexical-Functional Grammar (LFG) to people familiar with derivational theories such as Government/Binding theory and the Minimalist Program. It introduces the conceptual underpinning of the theory and its formal mechanisms, and develops a portion of a grammar of English. At every step along the way, the LFG approach is contrasted with the GB/MP approach in order to motivate LFG. Constructions covered include passive, dative, unaccusatives, “wh movement”, control and raising constructions, and anaphora.

The emphasis throughout is on LFG as an alternative theory of syntax within the general framework of generative grammar. It is argued that LFG meets the goals of generative linguistics better than GB/MP. It provides a typologically and computationally more realistic model of Universal Grammar.

An online instructor's manual for Lexical-Functional Grammar is now available! Visit the online Instructor's Guide by Yehuda Falk, for chapter-by-chapter lecture notes, answers to the exercises, and additional information about Lexical-Functional Grammar.

This book is copyright © 2001 CSLI Publications.

Read an excerpt from this book.

7/1/2001