Merge (linguistics)
Encyclopedia
Merge is one of the basic operations in the Minimalist Program
, a leading approach to generative syntax, when two syntactic objects are combined to form a new syntactic unit (a set). Merge also has the property of recursion
in that it may apply to its own output: the objects combined by Merge are either lexical items or sets that were themselves formed by Merge. This recursive property of Merge has been claimed to be a fundamental characteristic that distinguishes language from other cognitive faculties. As Noam Chomsky
(1999) puts it, Merge is "an indispensable operation of a recursive system ... which takes two syntactic objects A and B and forms the new object G={A,B}" (p. 2).
In some variants of the Minimalist Program
Merge is triggered by feature checking, e.g. the verb "eat" selects the noun "cheesecake" because the verb has an uninterpretable N-feature [uN] ("u" stands for "uninterpretable") which must be checked (or deleted), due to full interpretation. By saying that this verb has a nominal uninterpretable feature we rule out such ungrammatical constructions as *eat beautiful (the verb selects an adjective). Schematically it can be illustrated as:
Chomsky (2001) distinguishes between external and internal Merge: if A and B are separate objects then we deal with external Merge; if either of them is part of the other it is internal Merge.
In other approaches to generative syntax, such as Head-driven phrase structure grammar
and Lexical functional grammar
, there is no precise analogue to Merge. However, in these theories, feature structure
s are used to account for many of the same facts. Though Merge is usually assumed to be unique to language, the linguists Jonah Katz and David Pesetsky
have argued that the harmonic structure of tonal music is also a result of the operation Merge.
This notion of 'merge' may in fact be related to Fauconnier's 'blending' notion in cognitive linguistics
.
Minimalist program
In linguistics, the Minimalist Program is a major line of inquiry that has been developing inside generative grammar since the early nineties. It started with a 1993 paper by Noam Chomsky....
, a leading approach to generative syntax, when two syntactic objects are combined to form a new syntactic unit (a set). Merge also has the property of recursion
Recursion
Recursion is the process of repeating items in a self-similar way. For instance, when the surfaces of two mirrors are exactly parallel with each other the nested images that occur are a form of infinite recursion. The term has a variety of meanings specific to a variety of disciplines ranging from...
in that it may apply to its own output: the objects combined by Merge are either lexical items or sets that were themselves formed by Merge. This recursive property of Merge has been claimed to be a fundamental characteristic that distinguishes language from other cognitive faculties. As Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
(1999) puts it, Merge is "an indispensable operation of a recursive system ... which takes two syntactic objects A and B and forms the new object G={A,B}" (p. 2).
In some variants of the Minimalist Program
Minimalist program
In linguistics, the Minimalist Program is a major line of inquiry that has been developing inside generative grammar since the early nineties. It started with a 1993 paper by Noam Chomsky....
Merge is triggered by feature checking, e.g. the verb "eat" selects the noun "cheesecake" because the verb has an uninterpretable N-feature [uN] ("u" stands for "uninterpretable") which must be checked (or deleted), due to full interpretation. By saying that this verb has a nominal uninterpretable feature we rule out such ungrammatical constructions as *eat beautiful (the verb selects an adjective). Schematically it can be illustrated as:
V
________|_________
| |
eat [V, uN] cheesecake [N]
Chomsky (2001) distinguishes between external and internal Merge: if A and B are separate objects then we deal with external Merge; if either of them is part of the other it is internal Merge.
In other approaches to generative syntax, such as Head-driven phrase structure grammar
Head-driven phrase structure grammar
Head-driven phrase structure grammar is a highly lexicalized, non-derivational generative grammar theory developed by Carl Pollard and Ivan Sag. It is the immediate successor to generalized phrase structure grammar. HPSG draws from other fields such as computer science and uses Ferdinand de...
and Lexical functional grammar
Lexical functional grammar
Lexical functional grammar is a grammar framework in theoretical linguistics, a variety of generative grammar. It is a type of phrase structure grammar, as opposed to a dependency grammar. The development of the theory was initiated by Joan Bresnan and Ronald Kaplan in the 1970s, in reaction to...
, there is no precise analogue to Merge. However, in these theories, feature structure
Feature structure
In phrase structure grammars, such as generalised phrase structure grammar, head-driven phrase structure grammar and lexical functional grammar, a feature structure is essentially a set of attribute-value pairs. For example the attribute named number might have the value singular. The value of an...
s are used to account for many of the same facts. Though Merge is usually assumed to be unique to language, the linguists Jonah Katz and David Pesetsky
David Pesetsky
David Michael Pesetsky is Ferrari P. Ward Professor of Modern Languages and Linguistics at MIT. He has published numerous articles and books within the framework of transformational grammar.-External links:*...
have argued that the harmonic structure of tonal music is also a result of the operation Merge.
This notion of 'merge' may in fact be related to Fauconnier's 'blending' notion in cognitive linguistics
Cognitive linguistics
In linguistics, cognitive linguistics refers to the branch of linguistics that interprets language in terms of the concepts, sometimes universal, sometimes specific to a particular tongue, which underlie its forms...
.