Glossarybase-generate: to insert constituents into a position reflecting the basic semantic
relationships. The arguments of the verb appear within the Verb Phrase
but they may be forced to leave that position by different principles of
grammar.
binary features: abstract representations of a contrasting linguistic unit such as
[±Tense]. These units can have one of the two values + or –.
binder: a nominal expression that gives reference to another nominal expression
without independent reference. In the sentence Mary knows that she will
pass the exam the constituent Mary can be the binder of the pronoun she
(mind you, it is not necessarily so, the interpretation of the pronoun can be
some other female character determined by the context)
binding: an element that can be coreferential with another element (the most
typically pronouns and anaphors) is bound by that element. This
relationship is called binding. In the sentence Peter and Mary love each
other the constituent Peter and Mary binds each other.
binding domain: the domain within which anaphors must be, pronouns cannot be
bound. E.g. in the sentence Peter knows him the constituent Peter cannot
be coreferent with the pronoun him since they are in the same domain. In
the sentence Peter knows himself the anaphor has to be coreferent with
Peter since it is the only available antecedent for it in the same domain as
required by the binding principles.
binding principles: principles that refer to the interpretation of nominal expressions:
a) An anaphor must have a binder within the binding domain
b) A pronominal cannot have a binder within the binding domain
c) An R-expression must be free everywhere
bound morpheme: a morpheme that has to attach to another morpheme, it cannot
stand on its own, e.g. -ed, -ment, un-. See also free morpheme
bracketed representation: a representation of grammatical structure by bracketing
those constituents that belong together, an alternative to tree diagrams.
branch: lines connecting the nodes in tree-structure representations.
Burzio’s Generalisation: verbs which assign no theta-role to their subjects do
not assign accusative Case to their objects.
canonical subject position: the specifier position of the IP. This is the position
where subjects are assigned Case. The canonical subject position,
however, is not equivalent with the base position of the subject, as was
assumed for a long time, see the VP-Internal Subject Hypothesis.
Case: see abstract Case and morphological case.
Case assigner: a head that has the ability to assign Case, like V(erb),
P(reposition) and finite I(nflection).
Case avoidance principle: Clauses avoid Case positions.
Case Filter: every overt DP must be assigned abstract Case.
Case position: a position where (nominative or accusative) Case can be
assigned.
Case Theory: one of the modules of GB defining Case-assignment to DPs.