Understanding Minimalism, first published in 2005, is an introduction to the Minimalist
Program-the model of syntactic theory within generative linguistics. Accessibly written, it …

Previous approaches to explaining brow raise behavior in American Sign Language (ASL)
have claimed that it performs a semantic or pragmatic function, such as indicating that …

This dissertation explores the structure of the Determiner Phrase (DP) in American Sign
Language (ASL), with particular emphasis on determiners, adjectives, possessives, and …

In this paper we argue that Cinque's (2005) result concerning the noun phrase internal order
of demonstrative, numeral, adjective, and noun can be derived without appeal to Kayne's …

In this paper, I analyze aspects of wh-question formation in typologically different languages.
I discuss languages such as German, where wh-movement (of a sin gle wh-phrase) to a …

Phonetic reduction arises in the course of typical language production, when language
users produce a less clearly articulated form of a word. An important factor that affects …

Recent developments in syntactic theory suggest that phrase structure is cross-linguistically
more uniform than assumed so far, and that the order spec-head-complement may be the …

Facial expressions in sign languages are used to express grammatical functions, such as
question marking, but can also be used to express emotions (either the signer's own or in …

Cross-linguistic studies on question formation suggest that yes/no questions and wh-
questions have different syntax even though they may appear to share certain …

Spoken language has a well-known drive for ease of articulation, which Kirchner (1998,
2004) analyzes as reduction of the total magnitude of all biomechanical forces involved. We …