Nanosyntax
Karen De Clercq, Pavel Caha, Michal Starke, Guido Vanden Wyngaerd · 2025
Abstract This chapter discusses the basics of Nanosyntax, focusing in particular on phrasal lexicalization and the Lexicalization Algorithm (LA), as it was introduced in Starke (2014, 2018). The LA provides an elegant and principled way of regulating the process of the externalization of syntactic structures. In effect, the algorithm controls the syntactic derivation in such a way that language-particular structures are formed as a function of language-particular lexicons. The operation of the algorithm is illustrated by means of concrete examples, and it is explained how intricate patterns of allomorphy can be captured thanks to the interaction of the algorithm with structured lexical items on the one hand, and syntactic derivations on the other. The chapter summarizes the results of recent studies that discuss the algorithm, explores its predictions and consequences, as well as some recent modifications to it. The chapter also provides a short comparison with related frameworks.