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2009-02-19T21:28:07Z

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'''Precedence''' is a [[binary]] relation between [[node]]s in a [[tree structure]], which is defined as in (i):

(i) Node A precedes node B iff A is to the left of B and A does not
[[dominate]] B and B does not dominate A.

=== Example ===

in (ii) node B precedes nodes C, D and E, as well as the [[terminal node]]s d and e. B does not precede b, since it dominates b. C, D and E do not precede B, since they are to the right of B. Also, A does not precede any of the other nodes since it dominates all of them.

(ii) A
/ \
/ \
B C
| / \
| D E
| | |
b d e

Node D immediately precedes node E: there is no intervening node between D and E, i.e. there is no node X such that X is preceded by D and precedes E. Node B precedes E, but does not immediately precede it, since there is an intervening node: D, which precedes E and is preceded by B. Node C does not count as an intervening node between B and E: although it is preceded by B, it doesn't precede E, since it dominates it. Precedence (or linear order of constituents) has been believed to play a role in the conditions on [[coreference]]. This view has now largely been abandonned.

=== Links ===

[http://www2.let.uu.nl/UiL-OTS/Lexicon/zoek.pl?lemma=Precedence&lemmacode=422 Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics]

=== References ===

* Haegeman, L. 1991. ''Introduction to Government and Binding Theory,'' Oxford, Blackwell.
* Radford, A. 1988. ''Transformational grammar: a first course,'' Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK.
* Reinhart, T. 1976. ''The syntactic domain of anaphora,'' diss, MIT.
* Williams, E. 1994. ''Thematic structure in syntax,'' The MIT Press:Cambridge, Mass.
* Williams, E. 1994. ''Thematic structure in syntax,'' The MIT Press:Cambridge, Mass.

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[[Category:Syntax]]

Precedence - Revision history

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