Slovene Syntax

This course familiarizes students with the basic methodology, with the core literature and with the main features of Slovenian syntax, with an emphasis on the contrasts between Standard Slovenian and other, spoken varieties of Slovenian. The course also showcases the advantages of the theory of Principles and Parameters over competing theories and teaches students to recognize interesting research topics.

No special prerequisites for enrolment.

The topic of this course is Slovenian syntax. It deals with the foundations of Slovenian syntax and uses syntax to compare the standard language with the colloquial language. Slovenian syntax is presented both through a more traditional approach and through the theory of Principles and Parameters. The acquired knolwedge forms a comprehensive view over Slovenian syntax.
Study plan:
- Generally about syntax within (generative) linguistics
- The core principles of Generative grammar
-- Constituency structure
-- Binding theory
-- Identifying parts of speech inside clauses
-- Subject
-- Verb phrase
-- Higher functional projections
-- Clausal complementation
-- wh-movement
-- Case theory
-- Clitics

Students acquire the basic concepts of syntax. They develop an ability to critically read syntactic literature, to recognize interesting syntactic phenomenon, how to approach a sytactic problem, and how to gather relevant data on a chosen topic.

• Toporišič, Jože. 1982. Nova Slovenska skladnja. Ljubljana : Državna založba Slovenije Catalogue
• Toporišič, Jože. 2004. Slovenska slovnica. Založba Obzorja Maribor. Catalogue
• Golden, Marija. 2000. Teorija Opisnega jezikoslovja, 1. skladnja. FF Univerze v Ljubljani, Ljubljana. Catalogue
• Adger, David. 2003. Core Syntax. Oxford University Press. Catalogue E-version
• Articles from various journals, especial Slavistične revije Catalogue E-version, Jezika in Slovstva Catalogue E-version, Jezikoslovnih zapiskov Catalogue E-version and other Slovenian and foreign linguistics journals.
• Class handouts

Home assignments and final exam

Red. prof. dr. Franc Marušič je predavatelj jezikoslovja na Fakulteti za humanistiko na Univerzi v Novi Gorici. Njegovo osrednje raziskovalno področje je skladnja, pri čemer je večino svojega raziskovalnega dela opravil na slovenski skladnji.

Izbor člankov:
MARUŠIČ, Franc, ŽAUCER, Rok. O določnem ta v pogovorni slovenščini (z navezavo na določno obliko pridevnika). Slavistična revija. [Tiskana izd.], jan.-jun. 2007, letn. 55, št. 1/2, str. 223-247. http://www.srl.si/sql_pdf/SRL_2007_1-2_15.pdf. [COBISS.SI-ID 700923]
MARUŠIČ, Franc. Some thoughts on phase extension to a single interface. Theor. linguist., 2007, vol. 33, no. 1, str. 83-91. [COBISS.SI-ID 637947]
MARUŠIČ, Franc, ŽAUCER, Rok. On the intensional feel-like construction in Slovenian : a case of a phonologically null verb. Nat. lang. linguist. theory, vol. 24, no. 4, str. 1093-1159. [COBISS.SI-ID 589563]
LARSON, Richard K., MARUŠIČ, Franc. On indefinite pronoun structures with APs : reply to Kishimoto. Linguist. inq., 2004, vol. 35, no. 2, str. 268-287. [COBISS.SI-ID 472315]
Boban Arsenijević, Franc Marušič, and Jana Willer Gold. Experimenting with Highest Conjunct Agreement under Left Branch Extraction. V Teodora Radeva-Bork and Peter Kosta (eds.) Current Developments in Slavic Linguistics. Twenty Years After. Berlin: Peter Lang. (2020)
Franc Marušič and Andrew Nevins. Distributed agreement in participial sandwiched configurations. V Peter W. Smith, Johannes Mursell & Katharina Hartmann (eds.), Agree to Agree: Agreement in the Minimalist Programme, 179-198. Berlin: Language Science Press. (2020). DOI:10.5281/zenodo.3541753
Franc Marušič, Petra Mišmaš in Rok Žaucer. Zakaj velika okrogla rdeča čestitka in ne rdeča velika okrogla čestitka? Poskus razlage nezaznamovane stave pridevnikov. Zbornik ob 80-letnici Ade Vidovič-Muhe, (2020)