Binding theory explores how noun phrases relate to each other in sentences. It sets rules for anaphors, pronouns, and referential expressions, explaining when they can refer to the same entity or must refer to different ones.
These principles help us understand why certain sentences sound right or wrong. They're based on syntactic structure, particularly the concept of c-command , but don't account for all factors influencing how we interpret references in language.
Binding Theory and Coreference Constraints
Principles of binding theory
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Binding theory consists of a set of principles governing the referential dependencies between noun phrases (NPs) in a sentence
Aims to explain the distribution and interpretation of anaphors (reflexives and reciprocals), pronouns, and referential expressions (names)
Principle A states that anaphors must be bound in their local domain
Binding is a syntactic relation where an NP (the antecedent ) c-commands and is coindexed with another NP
Local domain is roughly equivalent to the minimal clause or complex NP containing the anaphor
Principle B asserts that pronouns must be free (not bound) in their local domain
Pronouns can be bound by an antecedent outside their local domain
Principle C requires that R-expressions (referring expressions like names) must be free everywhere
R-expressions cannot be bound by any antecedent in the sentence
Application of binding principles
Anaphors such as reflexives (himself, herself) and reciprocals (each other) must have a local, c-commanding antecedent
"Johni _i i likes himselfi _i i " is acceptable because "John" c-commands and is coindexed with "himself" in the local domain
"Johni _i i 's mother likes himselfi _i i " is unacceptable as "himself" is not bound by a local antecedent
Pronouns must be free in their local domain but can be bound by a non-local antecedent
"Johni _i i thinks hej _j j is smart" is acceptable, where "he" refers to someone else
"Johni _i i thinks hei _i i is smart" is also acceptable, with "he" referring to John
R-expressions cannot be bound by any antecedent in the sentence
"Hei _i i thinks Johnj _j j is smart" is acceptable since "John" is not bound by any antecedent
"Johni _i i thinks Johni _i i is smart" is unacceptable because the second occurrence of "John" is bound by the first
Syntax and coreference constraints
C-command is a structural relation between nodes in a syntax tree
Node A c-commands node B if every branching node dominating A also dominates B, and A does not dominate B
Binding principles rely on c-command and syntactic domains to determine coreference possibilities
Anaphors must be c-commanded by their antecedents within their local domain
Pronouns must not be c-commanded by their antecedents within their local domain
R-expressions must not be c-commanded by any coindexed NP
Syntactic structure plays a crucial role in determining the acceptability of coreference relations
Limitations of binding theory
Binding theory focuses on syntactic constraints and does not fully account for all coreference possibilities
Some limitations include:
Does not explain the interpretation of pronouns in discourse across sentence boundaries
Does not account for the role of pragmatics and context in determining coreference
Does not explain the distribution of null pronouns (pro) in languages like Spanish and Italian
Other factors influencing coreference:
Discourse prominence and accessibility of referents
Pragmatic factors such as plausibility and world knowledge
Morphological and semantic features like gender, number, and animacy
Binding theory provides a foundation for understanding coreference constraints but does not capture all aspects of reference resolution