Modularity and Morphosyntactic Interaction

Professor Yoon proposes to prepare a monograph investigating the interaction of morphology and syntax, with a view to tackling questions about modularity in cognitive systems. Given the view that language faculty is modular, the interaction at the boundaries of modular subsystems whose module-internal properties are well-understood, such as syntax and morphology, provides the best probe into questions concerning the manner in which the modules are organized internally, how they interact with each other, and how the interaction is constrained. In turn, the knowledge gained in this domain would doubtless be applicable to other modular cognitive systems.

Professor Yoon plans to revise and significantly expand the theoretical and empirical work initiated in his dissertation where he proposed a partial model of morphosyntactic interaction, which has applications for modularity issues in general. He believes there is a need for such a type of work because most work that exists is concerned with very specific, atomic issues. The development and elaboration of the framework proposed in his dissertation would fill in this gap.