本书阐释了构建符合科学哲学的语言学理论的主要思路，介绍了句法层面的定量概念与属性及其研究方法，在此基础上探讨了频率、复杂度、位置、深度、长度、信息量以及若干总藏之间等句法属性的关系，以及语言需求对于这些属性和关系的影响，从而建立了句法子系统协同模型。
本书将句法研究和计量语言学两个领域结合起来进行研究，用大量的事例说明计量模型和方法也可以应用到句法研究领域，为句法计量研究提供了新的思路，可供对句法或计量语言学感兴趣的研究者参阅。

Why do speakers of all languages use different grammatical structures under different communicative circumstances to express the same idea? Professor Lambrecht explores the relationship between the structure of the sentence and the linguistic and extra-linguistic context in which it is used. His analysis is based on the observation that the structure of a sentence reflects a speaker's assumption about the hearer's state of knowledge and consciousness at the time of the utterance. This relationship between speaker assumptions and formal sentence structure is governed by rules and conventions of grammar, in a component called 'information structure'. Four independent but interrelated categories are analysed: presupposition and assertion, identifiability and activation, topic, and focus.

Product Description
Since its first publication in 1991 Liliane Haegeman's Introduction to Government and Binding Theory has become established as the most authoritative introduction to the Principles and Parameters approach to syntactic theory. This new edition has been extensively updated throughout. Major structural changes include new chapters on Functional Heads and Head Movement and on Relativized Minimality. Discussions of a number of topics missing from or not paid due attention in the first edition have been integrated or expanded, for example: the structure of small clauses (in chaprer 2), chain formation (in chapter 6), and reconstruction, multiple movement, wh-absorption, Full Interpretation, and expletive replacement (in chapter 9). The copious exercises have been revised to increase potential for creativty and flexibility of approach. New exericases highlight further controversial issues. In short, this book offers a complete, updated introduction to the current state of Government and Binding Theory, suitable for readers with some basic knowledge of generative linguistics.
From the Back Cover
Since its first publication in 1991 Liliane Haegeman's Introduction to Government and Binding Theory has become established as the most authoritative introduction to the Principles and Parameters approach to syntactic theory. This new edition has been extensively updated throughout. Major structural changes include new chapters on Functional Heads and Head Movement and on Relativized Minimality. Discussions of a number of topics missing from or not paid due attention in the first edition have been integrated or expanded, for example: the structure of small clauses (in chaprer 2), chain formation (in chapter 6), and reconstruction, multiple movement, wh-absorption, Full Interpretation, and expletive replacement (in chapter 9). The copious exercises have been revised to increase potential for creativty and flexibility of approach. New exericases highlight further controversial issues.
In short, this book offers a complete, updated introduction to the current state of Government and Binding Theory, suitable for readers with some basic knowledge of generative linguistics.

《汉语句法学》不仅选用了现存的或可能的论述，而且运用自己的分析，对汉语的大多数结构进行解析；这些结构在过去二十五年的理论语言学中起着重要作用。《汉语句法学》涉及各种论题，包括语类、论元结构、被动句，以及照应语等。