Springer - Predicates and Their Subjects (Studies in Linguistics)

Explore the complex relationship between syntax and semantics in Predicates and Their Subjects. Published by Springer as part of the Studies in Linguistics and Philosophy series, this academic text offers a deep investigation into the structure of the subject-predicate relation. Building upon the foundations of the author's 1983 dissertation, the book presents a formal argument regarding syntactic constraints. It proposes that both small and tensed clauses are built from a one-place unsaturated expression known as the predicate, which must be applied to a syntactic argument, the subject. This work challenges existing theories by suggesting that the predication relation is not a mere projection of argument structure or a thematic relation. Instead, it argues that this connection must be understood as a purely syntactic constraint. This volume is an essential resource for researchers and students focused on linguistic theory and the mechanics of clause construction.