Editing Syntax (section)

== Theoretical syntactic models ==
=== Dependency grammar ===
{{Main|Dependency grammar}}
[[Dependency grammar]] is an approach to sentence structure in which syntactic units are arranged according to the dependency relation, as opposed to the constituency relation of [[phrase structure grammar]]s. Dependencies are directed links between words. The (finite) verb is seen as the root of all clause structure and all the other words in the clause are either directly or indirectly dependent on this root (i.e. the verb). Some prominent dependency-based theories of syntax are the following:

* [[Recursive categorical syntax]], or algebraic syntax
* [[Functional generative description]]
* [[Meaning–text theory]]
* [[Operator grammar]]
* [[Word grammar]]

[[Lucien Tesnière]] (1893–1954) is widely seen as the father of modern dependency-based theories of syntax and grammar. He argued strongly against the binary division of the clause into [[subject (grammar)|subject]] and [[predicate (grammar)|predicate]] that is associated with the grammars of his day (S → NP VP) and remains at the core of most phrase structure grammars. In place of that division, he positioned the verb as the root of all clause structure.<ref>Concerning Tesnière's rejection of the binary division of the clause into subject and predicate and in favor of the verb as the root of all structure, see Tesnière (1969:103–105).</ref>

=== Categorial grammar ===
{{Main|Categorial grammar}}
[[Categorial grammar]] is an approach in which constituents combine as [[function (math)|function]] and [[argument of a function|argument]], according to combinatory possibilities specified in their [[syntactic categories]]. For example, other approaches might posit a rule that combines a noun phrase (NP) and a verb phrase (VP), but CG would posit a syntactic category ''NP'' and another ''NP\S'', read as "a category that searches to the left (indicated by \) for an NP (the element on the left) and outputs a sentence (the element on the right)." Thus, the syntactic category for an [[intransitive]] verb is a complex formula representing the fact that the verb acts as a [[function word]] requiring an NP as an input and produces a sentence level structure as an output. The complex category is notated as (NP\S) instead of V. The category of [[transitive verb]] is defined as an element that requires two NPs (its subject and its direct object) to form a sentence. That is notated as (NP/(NP\S)), which means, "A category that searches to the right (indicated by /) for an NP (the object) and generates a function (equivalent to the VP) which is (NP\S), which in turn represents a function that searches to the left for an NP and produces a sentence."

[[Tree-adjoining grammar]] is a categorial grammar that adds in partial [[tree structure]]s to the categories.

=== Stochastic/probabilistic grammars/network theories ===
Theoretical approaches to syntax that are based upon [[probability theory]] are known as [[stochastic grammar]]s. One common implementation of such an approach makes use of a [[neural network]] or [[connectionism]].

=== Functional grammars ===
{{Main|Functional theories of grammar}}
Functionalist models of grammar study the form–function interaction by performing a structural and a functional analysis.

* [[Functional discourse grammar]] (Dik)
* [[Prague linguistic circle]]
* [[Role and reference grammar]] (RRG)
* [[Systemic functional grammar]]

=== Generative syntax ===
Generative syntax is the study of syntax within the overarching framework of [[generative grammar]]. Generative theories of syntax typically propose analyses of grammatical patterns using formal tools such as [[phrase structure grammar]]s augmented with additional operations such as [[syntactic movement]]. Their goal in analyzing a particular language is to specify rules which generate all and only the expressions which are [[grammaticality|well-formed]] in that language. In doing so, they seek to identify innate domain-specific principles of linguistic cognition, in line with the wider goals of the generative enterprise. Generative syntax is among the approaches that adopt the principle of the [[autonomy of syntax]] by assuming that meaning and communicative intent is determined by the syntax, rather than the other way around.

Generative syntax was proposed in the late 1950s by [[Noam Chomsky]], building on earlier work by [[Zellig Harris]], [[Louis Hjelmslev]], and others. Since then, numerous theories have been proposed under its umbrella:

* [[Transformational grammar]] (TG) (Original theory of generative syntax laid out by Chomsky in ''Syntactic Structures'' in 1957)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chomsky |first=Noam |title=Syntactic Structures |date=1957 |publisher=Mouton |location=The Hague |page=15}}</ref>
* [[Government and binding theory]] (GB) (revised theory in the tradition of TG developed mainly by Chomsky in the 1970s and 1980s)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chomsky |first=Noam |title=Lectures on Government and Binding: The Pisa Lectures |date=1993 |publisher=Mouton de Gruyter |isbn=3-11-014131-0 |edition=7th |location=Berlin}}</ref>
* [[Minimalist program]] (MP) (a reworking of the theory out of the GB framework published by Chomsky in 1995)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chomsky |first=Noam |title=The Minimalist Program |date=1995 |publisher=The MIT Press |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts}}</ref>

Other theories that find their origin in the generative paradigm are:
* [[Arc pair grammar]]
* [[Generalized phrase structure grammar]] (GPSG)
* [[Generative semantics]]
* [[Head-driven phrase structure grammar]] (HPSG)
* [[Lexical functional grammar]] (LFG)
* [[Nanosyntax]]
* [[Relational grammar]] (RG)
* [[Harmonic grammar]] (HG)

=== Cognitive and usage-based grammars ===
{{Main|Cognitive Linguistics}}
The Cognitive Linguistics framework stems from [[generative grammar]] but adheres to [[evolutionary linguistics|evolutionary]], rather than [[Noam Chomsky|Chomskyan]], linguistics. Cognitive models often recognise the generative assumption that the object belongs to the verb phrase. Cognitive frameworks include the following:

* [[Cognitive grammar]]
* [[Construction grammar]] (CxG)
* [[Emergent grammar]]