English Syntax and Argumentation

by Bas Aarts

Overview

This book provides a complete and detailed overview of modern English syntax, and offers a thorough grounding in the essentials of sentence structure and syntactic argumentation. Clear, accessible and comprehensive, it contains a wealth of material to support readers in consolidating their learning and knowledge at every step, from basic concepts to more advanced topics.

Now in its sixth edition, this textbook includes:
- fully updated chapters
- refreshed learning materials
- a fully revised glossary, list of reference works, and bibliography

Equipped with lists of key concept, exercises and further reading suggestions in each chapter, as well as a detailed answer key at the end of the book, this highly accessible, engaging and supportive text covers all the topics needed for a confident understanding of English syntax.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350355354
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/22/2024
Edition description:	6th ed.
Pages:	408
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.94(d)

About the Author

Bas Aarts is Professor of English Linguistics and Director of the Survey of English Usage at University College London, UK.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Sixth Edition
Part I: Grammatical Form and Grammatical Function
1. Introduction
2. Grammatical Form: Words, Word Classes and Phrases
3. Grammatical Function
4. More on Form: Clauses and Sentences
5. The Grammatical Form – Grammatical Function Interface
Part II: Elaboration
6. Predicates, Arguments and Thematic Roles
7. Cross-categorial Generalisations: X-bar Syntax
8. More on Clauses
9. Movement
10. Tense, Aspect and Mood
Part III: Argumentation
11. Syntactic Argumentation
12. Constituency: Movement and Substitution
13. Constituency: Some Additional Tests
14. Predicates and Arguments Revisited
Part IV: Application
15. Information Packaging
16. Grammatical Indeterminacy
17. Case Studies
Glossary
Reference Works: Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Grammars and Other Publications on the English Language
Bibliography
Answer Key for the Exercises
Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

The publication of the 5th edition of English Syntax and Argumentation is a testimony to Aarts’ extraordinary successful tour de force of syntactic argumentation. Aarts has managed to account for many abstract syntax concepts in a way that is truly enlightening for students and instructors alike. The addition of a new chapter on ‘information packaging’, an answer key, and the lucidity of the analysis put this text in a class of its own. – Najib Jarad, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

The newly added chapter on Information Packaging constitutes a very welcome addition to the already convincing introduction to English syntax and argumentation. All key terms are now printed in bold italics, which makes them easy to identify. Students and instructors alike appreciate the new answer key. – Daniela Schroeder, University of Hamburg, Germany

Editorial Reviews

This textbook contains all the information you need if you are starting your studies of English syntax and acquainting yourself with the art of syntactic argumentation. It is complete, accessible, designed with those who have no previous knowledge of the topic in mind. It is engaging and easy to follow.” —Mariangela Spinillo, University of Westminster, UK

“This acclaimed textbook introduces almost everything we need to know about English syntax. In remarkably simple and concise languages, this revitalized edition covers essential concepts of syntax, step-by-step procedures for syntactic argumentation, and even applications of the covered syntactic knowledge to semantics, language variation and processing. This is a must textbook for the study of English syntax.” —Jong-Bok Kim, Kyung Hee University, South Korea

From the Publisher