Analyticity as an epiphenomenon
Abstract
Abstract This chapter argues that linguistic analyticity, defined as the situation in which there is a one-to-one relation between a bit of meaning and a bit of sound, is an epiphenomenon. Assuming, first, that all heads need to be filled or visited at some point during the derivation of the sentence, and, second, that movement is the default way of realizing this, we observe that separate material is inserted in heads when movement into that head is not possible and the information denoted by the head is not already expressed elsewhere.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Syntax
Semantics
Linguistic Variation
Phonetics and Phonology Research
Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Linguistik aktuell
- Pages
- 380–404
- Publication date
- 15 January 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter