LSA.203 | Clause Typing: From Syntax to Discourse Semantics

Paul Portner and Raffaella Zanuttini
MW 1:00-2:40
location: 56-114
course web site: http://lsa.dlp.mit.edu/Class/203

This course will examine the nature of clause type systems in natural language with a primary focus on imperatives as a case study. A clause type is a conventional association between a sentential form and an illocutionary force. Clause type systems exhibit universals (for example, all languages seem to have declaratives, interrogatives, and imperatives, while none has a type which conventionally makes a threat), and thus are a good candidate for helping us understand deep properties of grammar. The study of clause types will be interesting for students whose main fields are syntax, semantics, or formal pragmatics.

The course will begin with an overview of approaches to the topic. It will then present the theory which the instructors have developed over the past few years; this approach highlights the role of the syntax-semantics interface in understanding clause typing, in contrast to more purely syntactic or semantic approaches, and also involves a formal theory of the discourse context. The primary focus will be on imperatives; as time permits we may discuss other clause types as well.

Prerequisites: Familiarity with syntactic theory and formal semantic theory. Appropriate preparation would be advanced undergraduate or introductory graduate courses in these areas (two semesters of syntax, one of formal semantics). Feel free to email the instructors with questions as to whether your preparation is adequate.