Abstract syntactic research is currently producing much original work of high theoretical excitement. Experimental, often daring, and sometimes controversial, the majority of these inquiries point the way for more extensive consideration of the hypotheses upon which they are founded. The following book serves exactly this purpose.
Dr. Rosenbaum confronts the general problem of complex sentence formation by creating a descriptive framework for dealing with sentential complementation in English according to the theory of syntax developed by Noam Chomsky. He is concerned specifically with sentences that are embedded in noun phrases and verb phases. These phrases, called complementations, are examined in light of two proposed sets of rules which generate underlying sentence structure and transformational rules which map the underlying sentence structure and transformational rules which map the underlying structure onto a new derived surface structure. Analysis and defense of the phrase structure rules are offered, and the transformational rules are justified with respect to noun phrase and verb phrase complementation. In addition, the author applies his descriptive apparatus to complementation in adjectival predicate constructions and presents as historical perspective on earlier research.
Grammarians and linguists will discover that this work provides a good descriptive introduction to the study of abstract syntax. The position maintained by the author has stimulated and will continue to generate independent thinking about the issues at hand, which in turn will lead to more work of the same caliber in this area of linguistic endeavor.
