German Syntax

Catalog description

This course provides an overview of morphosyntactic processes in German. GER 514 German Syntax (3)This course provides an overview of the major components of morphology and syntax as they apply to the German language. No prior knowledge of linguistics or morphosyntax is assumed. Topics discussed include the basic syntactic constituents in German, the verbal bracket and movement rules, German argument structure, the tense/mood/aspect system for German verbs, the connection between pragmatics and word order in German, and dialectal variation as it relates to German syntax. Emphasis will also be placed on how these different areas of German syntax are related to descriptive grammar rules as presented in many German language classes. Reading assignments include scholarly articles employing different theoretical frameworks, including minimalism, and excerpts from seminal works in the field. Evaluation is based on problem sets, two take-home exams and a research paper.