Author Description
John Taylor proposes a unitary account of the possessive morpheme. He takes as his theoretical framework Cognitive Grammar, as developed over the past 15 years by Ronald Langacker and others. In the earlier chapters of the book he introduces and motivates the conceptual apparatus of the theory, and in later chapters he develops a coherent account of the full range of possessive constructions in English.A special feature of the book is that it offers wide-ranging critique of both traditional and more recent accounts of possessive expressions. Focusing particularly on Government and Binding theory, the author highlights the profound conceptual differences underlying the two theoretical approaches represented by GB and Cognitive Grammar, while also observing some points of convergence between them.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates whether a single, unitary account can explain the diverse functions and forms of the possessive morpheme within the English language. John R. Taylor, a scholar in the field of cognitive linguistics, utilizes the framework of Cognitive Grammar to analyze possessive constructions. By contrasting this approach with Government and Binding theory, the author provides a rigorous examination of how conceptual structures inform linguistic expression. The text systematically builds from foundational theoretical concepts to a comprehensive application regarding English possessives.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A detailed application of Cognitive Grammar as developed by Ronald Langacker.
- A comparative analysis between Cognitive Grammar and Government and Binding theory.
- A comprehensive examination of the full range of English possessive constructions.
- Critical evaluations of traditional and contemporary linguistic accounts of possessive expressions.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the application of cognitive linguistic theory to specific grammatical phenomena. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for students and researchers familiar with formal linguistic frameworks.
Page Count:
384
Publication Date:
2001-03-22
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0198299826
ISBN-13:
9780198299820
Linguistics
Grammar
Reference
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