The Role of Inflection in Scandinavian Syntax

Book excerpt: In this book, Holmberg and Platzack present a theory of the role which subject-verb agreement and case morphology play in syntax. Their theory is based mainly on a detailed comparison of syntactical inflectional properties in the various Scandinavian languages, although many other languages are discussed as well. The theoretical issues discussed include abstract vs. morphological case, functional heads, verb-second, null subjects and other empty categories, pronouns and clitics, various impersonal constructions, long distance reflexives, and the double object construction. Probably the most detailed and comprehensive study to date of the interplay of case, subject-verb agreement, and other grammatical properties in the syntax of related languages, this book offers important insights for professional linguists and students with an interest in generative grammar, typology/comparative grammar, or Scandinavian and Germanic languages.