This monograph presents a new model of the internal syntax of nominal phrases. The model is mainly based on Scandinavian, since with the wide range of variation that Scandinavian displays in the nominal domain, despite the close genetic relationship between the different varieties, Scandinavian is particularly well-suited for explorations into nominal syntax. Among the topics covered are the basic syntactic structure of nominal phrases, definiteness, adjective phrases, possessors, relative clauses, and nominal predicates. The model is however meant to be a tool for analysing the nominal phrases of any language. While the base-generated structure is taken to be universally uniform, the model allows for variation in the feature makeup of individual elements, in the phonological realisation of the features, and in the movements that may or may not apply. Hence, as shown in the final chapter, patterns found in languages outside of Scandinavian can also be accounted for within the model.

Table of contents

Preface ix–x Abbreviations xi Introduction xiii–xv The syntactic structure of the DP 1 1–25 Definite DPs 26–76 Determiners and relative clauses 77–108 Demonstratives and strong quantifiers 109–137 Postnominal possessors 138–196 Prenominal possessors 197–250 Predicative nominal phrases 251–296 Some crosslinguisic perspectives 297–323 References 325–337 Language Index 338–340 Subject Index 341–348