Form and Function Mapping in English Syntax

"This is an outstanding book on English syntax, remarkable not only for its empirical breadth but also for its analytical depth. It demonstrates how a constructional account of English can be rendered formally precise while encompassing a wide range of phenomena, from well-known puzzles to smaller, idiosyncratic cases that nonetheless deserve just as much attention. With its wealth of attested data, cogent analyses, and extensive references, it should be an invaluable resource for both students and researchers. This advanced textbook sets a high bar for non-constructivist approaches, and I, for one, do not expect to see its equal surface anytime soon."

-Rui P. Chaves, Chair and Professor of Linguistics, University at Buffalo, SUNY

"Why do English sentences so often mean more—or something other—than what their words alone predict? Form and Function Mapping in English Syntax reveals how such mismatches arise and why they matter, presenting a clear and compelling argument that English grammar is best understood as a network of constructions. Drawing on authentic corpus data, Jong-Bok Kim uses Sign-Based Construction Grammar to illuminate both the familiar architecture of English syntax and its most surprising patterns—from verb-particle sequences and VP ellipsis to free relatives, clefts, inversion, and comparative correlatives. The result is a concise, rigorous, and empirically rich account of how form and function interact to produce the expressive range of English."

-Laura A. Michaelis, Professor of Linguistics , University of Colorado Boulder

“This book offers an insightful exploration of both, let’s say, canonical and more intricate English constructions from a constructional standpoint, drawing on the framework of Sign-Based Construction Grammar (SBCG). Two aspects of the book stand out as exceptionally valuable. First, Kim guides the reader – someone likely comfortable with syntactic analysis but not necessarily versed in SBCG – step-by-step through the complexities of a broad set of English constructions, ranging from agreement and ellipsis to verb-particle structures and clefts. Second, the treatment of each construction raises questions that will interest not only those already working within SBCG but also linguists willing to revisit assumptions widely accepted in other theoretical frameworks, making the book a motivator for theoretical reflection. This monograph will be a seminal resource and essential reading for anyone wishing to explore in greater depth the syntax of English from a usage-based perspective, and will provide the perfect incentive to revisit its complex syntax with a critical spirit, grounded in authentic linguistic evidence.”

-Javier Pérez-Guerra (he/him)Professor of English linguistics, Universidade de Vigo