Syntax within the Word

Syntax within the Word provides a multifaceted look into the syntactic framework of Distributed Morphology (DM) within the Minimalist program. For those unfamiliar with the theory, this monograph provides an overview of DM and argues its strengths. For those more familiar with DM, this monograph provides analyses of familiar data much of which has not been treated within the framework: argument selection, stem allomorphy and suppletion, nominal compounds in English (feet-first vs. *heads-first), and the structure of the verb phrase. This monograph also proposes a future for the theory in the form of revisions to DM including: the elimination of readjustment rules, a new economy constraint (Minimize Exponence) that triggers fusion of functional heads, and a feature blocking system.

Heidi Harley, University of Arizona:
Siddiqi proposes an innovative solution to the problem of argument structure alternations in English, capturing the insights of the syntactically-based analyses of recent years while eliminating the proliferation of zero morphemes required in previous proposals in this vein. A must-read for anyone interested in the relationship between derivational morphology and argument structure in syntactic theory.