Aspects of the Theory of Syntax

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Noam Chomsky's 'Aspects of the theory of syntax', published in 1965, is a seminal work in generative grammar that introduced technical innovations still relevant today. The fiftieth anniversary edition features a new preface by Chomsky, highlighting enduring proposals, reviewing advancements in the formulation and application of core ideas, and addressing controversies surrounding the framework. Emerging from MIT in the mid-fifties, linguists developed a novel approach to linguistic theory and the study of language structure, significantly diverging from conventional modern linguistics. This new approach, termed 'generative grammar', maintained ties to traditional language study but proposed distinct conclusions about language structure. Initial formulations of transformational generative grammar revealed various deficiencies, prompting further exploration and refinement. Chomsky reviews these developments and suggests a reformulation of transformational generative grammar that incorporates these insights. The primary focus of this work is syntax, with semantic and phonological aspects discussed only as they relate to syntactic theory.