Edges in Syntax

This book examines how word order variations in language can be regulated by various factors in cyclic syntax. In particular, it offers a valuable contribution to the current debate concerning the effect of cyclic Spell-out on the (re-)ordering of elements in scrambling. Heejeong Ko provides in-depth discussion of the interaction of the syntax-phonology interface with operations at the syntax proper, as well as examining how the semantic meaning of a structure can be correlated with certain types of orderings in cyclic edges of the syntax. The author's proposal accounts for a wide range of scrambling data in East Asian languages such as Korean and Japanese, with particular focus on the consequences of cyclic linearization for (sub-)scrambling, types ofquantifier floating, variations in predicate fronting, and types of argument structure and secondary predicates. The book will be of interest to syntacticians from graduate level upwards, particularly those interested in the syntax-phonology and syntax-semantics interfaces. The range of novel data presented will make it a valuable resource for linguists studying Korean, Japanese, and scrambling languages in general.

Heejeong Ko is an associate professor at Seoul National University, and has previously held positions at Stony Brook University and at MIT. Her main areas of research include the syntax-phonology interface, the syntax-semantics interface, and the acquisition of syntax/semantics. Her work has appeared in several international journals, including Linguistic Inquiry, Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, Journal of East Asian Linguistics, Studies in SecondLanguage Acquisition, Language Acquisition, and Studies in Generative Grammar.