David Embick's Abstracts/Manuscripts/Papers


Book
    Localism versus Globalism in Morphology and Phonology (2010)
    (MIT Press link)

      David Embick

      Abstract: This book develops two major themes. First, I present a cyclic (phase-based) theory of syntax/morphology, and show how this theory provides an account of attested patterns of allomorphy in language. Second, I compare the predictions of this "Localist" type of theory with those of "Globalist" theories like Optimality Theory. Based on a number of case studies that center on Phonologically Conditioned Allomorphy, I argue that the Localist view is correct, and that this finding has important implications for grammatical theory.

Papers (and one handout)
  • Embick, D. (2013) On the distribution of stem alternants: Separation and its limits. For The morphome debate: Diagnosing and analyzing morphomic patterns edited by R. Bermúdez-Otero and A. Luís. stem-send-march.pdf
  • Embick, D. (2013) Morphemes and morphophonological loci. To appear in Distributed Morphology Today: Morphemes for Morris Halle, edited by A. Marantz and O. Matushansky, MIT Press. loci.pdf
  • Embick, D. (2012) Roots and features (an acategorial postscript). In Theoretical Linguistics 38:1-2. chamorro-commentary.pdf
  • Embick, D. (2012) Contextual conditions on stem alternations: Illustrations from the Spanish conjugation. For a Going Romance volume. (uncorrected proof) span-stem-proof.pdf
  • Tavabi, K., D. Embick, and T.P.L. Roberts (2011) Word repetition priming-induced oscillations in auditory cortex: a magnetoencephalography study. In NeuroReport 22(17). ter2.pdf
  • Tavabi, K., D. Embick, and T.P.L. Roberts (2011) Spectral-temporal analysis of cortical oscillations during lexical processing. In NeuroReport 22(10). ter1.pdf
  • Embick, D. (2010) Stem alternations and stem distributions. [This draft from 2010 is a first attempt to work through some questions in morphophonology from the perspective a general theory of allomorphy. The contents are being reworked and remixed in some later publications (see above). I'm making this draft available in its original form (i.e., with many shortcomings) in the hopes that the overall perspective it offers will be of some interest.] stem-ms-10.pdf
  • Embick, D. (2009) Roots, States, and Stative Passives. Handout from a talk presented at the Roots Workshop, Stuttgart, June 2009. stut.pdf
  • Embick, D. and A. Marantz (2008) Architecture and blocking. In Linguistic Inquiry 39:1. arch-block.pdf
  • Embick, D. (2008) Variation and morphosyntactic theory: Competition fractionated. In Language and Linguistics Compass 2/1. variation.pdf
  • Embick, D. (2007) Linearization and Local Dislocation: Derivational mechanics and interactions. In Linguistic Analysis. lin.pdf
  • Embick, D. (2007) Blocking Effects and Analytic/Synthetic Alternations, In Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 25:1. comparative-2007.pdf
  • Embick, D. and R. Noyer (2007) Distributed Morphology and the Syntax/Morphology Interface. In Oxford Handbook of Linguistic Interfaces) [Scan]: interface.pdf
  • Embick, D. and M. Halle (2005) On the Status of Stems in Morphological Theory. In T. Geerts and H. Jacobs eds. Proceedings of Going Romance 2003, John Benjamins. stem.pdf
  • Embick, D. and A. Marantz (2005) Cognitive Neuroscience and the English Past Tense: Comments on the Paper by Ullman et al. In Brain and Language 93. past.pdf
  • Poeppel, D. and D. Embick (2005) Defining the relation between linguistics and neuroscience (2005). In A. Cutler ed. Twenty-first century psycholinguistics: Four cornerstones, Lawrence Erlbaum. lingneuro.pdf
  • Embick D. (2004) On the Structure of Resultative Participles in English. In Linguistic Inquiry, 35:3. result.pdf
  • Embick, D. (2004) "Unaccusative syntax and verbal alternations" (uncorrected proof) unacc.pdf
  • Embick, D. and D. Poeppel (2003) Mapping Syntax Using Imaging: Prospects and Problems for the Study of Neurolinguistic Computation. In Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. mappingsyntax.pdf
David Embick's homepage