About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherMIT Press

ISBN-100262552523

ISBN-139780262552523

eBay Product ID (ePID)19073174542

Product Key Features

Number of Pages414 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication NameMathematical Structure of Syntactic Merge : an Algebraic Model for Generative Linguistics

SubjectLinguistics / Syntax, Algebra / General, Applied, Linguistics / General

Publication Year2025

TypeTextbook

Subject AreaMathematics, Language Arts & Disciplines

AuthorRobert C. Berwick, Noam Chomsky, Matilde Marcolli

SeriesLinguistic Inquiry Monographs

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height1.1 in

Item Weight17.6 Oz

Item Length9 in

Item Width6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2024-034740

Table Of ContentContents List of Figures xiii List of Tables xv 0 Minimalism and Merge: Introduction 1 The Mathematical Structure of Syntactic Merge 2 Minimalism Old and New: a Hopf Algebra Comparison 3 The Syntax-Semantics Interface: an Algebraic Model 4 Summary of Mathematical Concepts Bibliography Index

SynopsisThe Minimalist Program advanced by Noam Chomsky thirty years ago, focusing on the biological nature of human language, has played a central role in our modern understanding of syntax. One key to this program is the notion that the hierarchical structure of human language syntax consists of a single operation Merge. For the first time, Mathematical Structure of Syntactic Merge presents a complete and precise mathematical formalization of Chomsky's most recent theory of Merge. It both furnishes a new way to explore Merge's important linguistic implications clearly while also laying to rest any fears that the Minimalist framework based on Merge might itself prove to be formally incoherent., A mathematical formalization of Chomsky's theory of Merge in generative linguistics. The Minimalist Program advanced by Noam Chomsky thirty years ago, focusing on the biological nature of human language, has played a central role in our modern understanding of syntax. One key to this program is the notion that the hierarchical structure of human language syntax consists of a single operation Merge. For the first time, Mathematical Structure of Syntactic Merge presents a complete and precise mathematical formalization of Chomsky's most recent theory of Merge. It both furnishes a new way to explore Merge's important linguistic implications clearly while also laying to rest any fears that the Minimalist framework based on Merge might itself prove to be formally incoherent. In this book, Matilde Marcolli, Noam Chomsky, and Robert C. Berwick prove that Merge can be described as a very particular kind of highly structured algebra. Additionally, the book shows how Merge can be placed within a consistent framework that includes both a syntactic-semantic interface that realizes Chomsky's notion of a conceptual-intentional interface, and an externalization system that realizes language-specific constraints. The syntax-semantics interface encompasses many current semantical theories and offers deep insights into the ways that modern "large language models" work, proving that these do not undermine in any way the scientific theories of language based on generative grammar.

LC Classification NumberP291.M297 2025