The existence of substantive parametric variation in syntax, as characterized in Chomsky 1981, has been questioned in the more recent generative literature, notably in Borer 1984, Fukui 1986, and Chomsky 1993. This article provides converging evidence from child language acquisition and comparative syntax for the existence of a syntactic parameter in the classical sense of Chomsky 1981, with si...

Consider a program with m statements and n predicates, where the predicates are derived from the conditional statements and assertions in a program, as well as from implicit run-time safety checks. An observable state is an evaluation of the n predicates under some state at a program statement. The goal of predicate-complete testing (PCT) is to cover every reachable observable state (at most m ...

We propose a shape analysis that adapts to some of the complex composite data structures found in industrial systems-level programs. Examples of such data structures include “cyclic doubly-linked lists of acyclic singly-linked lists”, “singly-linked lists of cyclic doublylinked lists with back-pointers to head nodes”, etc. The analysis introduces the use of generic higher-order inductive predic...

Abstract In this paper I review the Neo-Davidsonian semantics of prepositional phrases and secondary predication. argue that certain types examples pose challenge to semantics. present an alternative analysis which successfully deals with problematic examples. The core idea lies in representing theta-roles not as functions from events their participants, but rather argument-labels encoding role...