230476 Syntax of questions (S) (WiSe 2025/2026)

This seminar is divided into two parts. The first part offers an introduction to Minimalist Syntax. We will work through the core concepts of generative syntax under the Minimalist Program, which include: morphosyntactic features and agreement, constituency and hierarchical structures, thematic roles, clausal structure, and the various functional categories (DP, TP, CP), locality, and A/A’-movements.

In the second part of this seminar, we will have a brief introduction to the syntax of questions. We will investigate how languages form interrogative sentences and what the syntax of questions reveals about general clausal structure and syntactic transformation, such as movement. The seminar will emphasize the common types of questions, such as wh-questions (including multiple wh-questions) and polar questions.

The primary literature will be:

Adger, David (2003). “Core Syntax: A Minimalist Approach” Oxford University Press.

Diercks, Santorini, and Kroch (2024). “The Syntax of Natural Language” Pamona College Publication.

Note: Apart from the primary literature, we will read specific papers that deal with different aspects of the syntax of questions.