Language Variation and Functional Heads: Magnetic Grammar

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to unify basic tools across language modules. Specifically, we wish to propose a featural model whereby features include more specification than is usually assumed, while being both syntax and phonology primitives. We propose to consider features as specified for their capacity of attracting or repelling other features. With this basic extra specification, we claim, many phonological as well as syntactic patterns, as well as morphosyntactic paradigms, can be easily explained.