Transitive constructions in Slovenian Sign Language (SZJ): Report on II year of Research Doctorate in Linguistics

This article provides a theoretical background and theoretical framework as well as preliminary generalisations of the generative description of three syntactic environments in Slovenian Sign Language (SZJ). It determines relations between subject, object(s) and verb in transitive, ditransitive and classifer constructions. After exploring binding, scope and nominalisation effects, thematic (deep) structure is elaborated for each construction in accordance to Binarity Principle. Then, grammatical derivations of attested word orders (surface structure or linearisation) are developed with respect to word order parameters (Head parameter) and syntactic processes (successive-cyclic Head movement). Finally, SZJ as a new entry in the typological inventory of world's languages is presented with respect to current issues of word order research.