Observations on Strict Derivational Minimalism

Well-Nestedness Properly Subsumes Strict Derivational Minimalism

Minimalist grammars (MGs) constitute a mildly contextsensitive formalism when being equipped with a particular locality condition (LC), the shortest move condition. In this format MGs define the same class of derivable string languages as multiple context-free grammars (MCFGs). Adding another LC to MGs, the specifier island condition (SPIC), results in a proper subclass of derivable languages. ...

Derivational Minimalism Is Mildly Contexttsensitive

An Additional Observation on Strict Derivational Minimalism

We answer a question which, so far, was left an open problem: does— in terms of derivable string languages—the type of a minimalist grammar (MG) as originally introduced in Stabler 1997 defines a proper superclass of the revised type of an MG and, therefore, the type of a strict MG both introduced in Stabler 1999, and known to be weakly equivalent? For both the revised as well as the strict MG-...

Movement and Derivation: Eliminating the PBC

Downward movement and sideward movement necessarily leave a trace that is not c-commanded by the head of the chain and hence violate the PBC. Under a strict interpretation of the PBC, head movement is also banned because the head of the chain in head movement cannot c-command its trace. Likewise, remnant movement would be never permissible, because it leaves an unbound trace within a remnant ca...

Derivational Minimalism Is Mildly Context-Sensitive

The change within the linguistic framework of transformational grammar from GB–theory to minimalism brought up a particular type of formal grammar, as well. We show that this type of a minimalist grammar (MG) constitutes a subclass of mildly context–sensitive grammars in the sense that for each MG there is a weakly equivalent linear context–free rewriting system (LCFRS). Moreover, an infinite h...