S-selection

S-selection is the conditions which a head imposes on its immediate context through its argument structure, i.e. the theta-roles it assigns. This is called s(emantic)-selection.

Example

the fact that the verb to persuade selects a subject denoting an actor (or agent), and two complements, one denoting the person who is the action's target and one denoting a proposition (cf. he persuaded me to go), is considered a matter of s-selection. S-selection is distinguished from c(ategorial)-selection, the conditions imposed in terms of categorical features (e.g. N,V). It is a point of debate whether and to what extent c-selection can be derived from s-selection (e.g. by rules of canonical structural realization). Next to s- and c-selection, some assume m(orphological)-selection, which applies word-internally.

Links

Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics

References

• Chomsky, N. 1986a. Knowledge of language: its nature, origin and use, Praeger, New York.
• Chomsky, N. and H. Lasnik 1993. The theory of principles and parameters, in: J. Jacobs A. von Stechow, W. Sternefeld, and T. Vennemann (eds.) Syntax: an international handbook of contemporary research, De Gruyter, Berlin. Reprinted in: Chomsky (1995), The minimalist program, ch.1, pp.13-127, MIT Press, Cambridge MA.
• Ouhalla, J. 1990. Functional categories and parametric variation, diss. UCL.
• Pesetsky, D. 1982. Paths and categories, diss. MIT.

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