Binding theory

Binding theory

Theory that describes the conditions of the structural relations between noun phrases in a sentence

R-expression

An NP that gets its meaning by referring to some entity in the world

Pronoun

and NP that can get its meaning from another NP in the sentence

Anaphor

an NP that must get its meaning from another NP in the sentence (-self)

Antecedent

An NP that gives its meaning to a pronoun or anaphor

Indexing

A way to represent the referential meaning of an NP, represented by a lowercase subscript letter

Co-indexed

NPs that share the same index

Co-refer

what co-indexed NPs do to each other; refer to the same entity in the world

Binding

the relationship between 2 co-indexed NPs where the antecedent c-commands the anaphor

Binding principle A

An anaphor must be bound within its binding domain (TP)

Binding principle B

A pronoun must be free within its binding domain

Binding principle C

An R-expression must be free

Binding domain

The clause (TP) containing the NP in question