Transformational Grammar: A First Course

Radford's new textbook is primarily for students with little or no background in syntax who need a lively and up-to-date introduction to contemporary work on transformational grammar. It covers four main topics: the goals of linguistic theory, syntactic structure, the nature and role of the lexicon, and the function and operations of transformations. The general framework considers major works, such as Chomsky's Knowledge of Language and Barriers, written since the publication of Radford's widely acclaimed Transformational Syntax in 1981. The present book uses a more recent theoretical construction and also covers a wider range of frameworks at the descriptive level than its predecessor. Radford is well known for his effective teaching approaches and this current volume demonstrates his talent by giving a concise, non-technical introduction to the field. At each chapter's end are exercises that reinforce the text, allowing students to apply the various concepts discussed and encouraging them to look more critically at some of the assumptions and analyses presented. Radford provides a useful, detailed bibliography of primary source material.