Richard K. Larson

About

Richard K. Larson is a Distinguished Professor at the Department of Linguistics at Stony Brook University. He earned his Ph.D. in 1983 from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. His research focuses on semantics, syntax, and Iranian languages. As a distinguished faculty member, he contributes significantly to the understanding of linguistic structures and meaning, particularly within the context of Iranian languages.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Philosophy
• Combinatorics
• Mathematics
• Cartography
• Geography
• Linguistics

Selected publications

• On Shell Structure

  2014-02-03 · 99 citations

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  This volume collects together core papers by Richard K. Larson developing what has since come to be known as the "VP Shell" or "Split VP" analysis of sentential structure. The volume includes five previously published papers together with two major unpublished works from the same period: "Light Predicate Raising" (1989), which explores the interesting consequences of a leftward raising analysis of "NP Shift" phenomena, and "The Projection of DP (and DegP)" (1991), which extends the shell approac…

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• Intensional Transitive Verbs and Abstract Clausal Complementation

  Oxford University Press eBooks · 2018-08-22 · 56 citations

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  There is a correlation between intensionality and syntax: intensionality manifests itself with all clausal complement constructions. For example, “Max imagined that Boris was approaching”. Although pervasive, there are apparent counterexamples. Sentences featuring intensional transitive verbs such as “Max wanted Boris” and “John imagined a unicorn”, exhibit intensionality effects but do not appear to have clausal complements. This chapter defends a view of intensional transitive constructions wh…

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• Rethinking Cartography

  Language · 2021 · 40 citations

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  The CARTOGRAPHIC PROGRAM has investigated interesting crosslinguistic linear orderings among various sentence constituents. Its signature technical move is to postulate HIERARCHIES OF FUNCTIONAL PROJECTIONS related by functional selection. I note three problems that functional hierarchies encounter in capturing linear order: ‘explanation’, ‘plenitude’, and ‘rigidity’. I compare linearity in cartography with linearity in the integers, which involves a single relation (<) ordering the domain. I…

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• Ezafe, PP and the nature of nominalization

  Natural Language & Linguistic Theory · 2020 · 36 citations

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• The <i>Ezafe</i> construction revisited

  Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science. Series 4, Current issues in linguistic theory · 2020 · 26 citations

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  Abstract This chapter addresses the nature, distribution and function of the Ezafe morpheme, a distinguishing grammatical feature of many of the Iranian languages. We review three main analyses advanced in the wide literature on the subject: semantic, morphological, and syntactic. We argue that the syntactic account of Ezafe is the most promising, both in its empirical reach, and explanatory power. Looking at an exhaustive range of data from Iranian Persian (iPersian) and other Iranian languages…

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Frequent coauthors

• Candice Chi-Hang Cheung

  Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

  7 shared

• Peter Ludlow

  MOH Holdings

  6 shared

• István Kenesei

  University of Szeged

  3 shared

• Viviane Déprez

  Aix-Marseille Université

  3 shared

• Masha Vassilieva

  Stony Brook University

  3 shared

• Hiroko Yamakido

  Fuji Women's University

  3 shared

• Marcel den Dikken

  Eötvös Loránd University

  3 shared

• Vida Samiian

  University of California System

  3 shared

Education

• Ph.D.

  University of Wisconsin - Madison

  1983

Awards & honors

• 1998 EduCom medal

Similar researchers at Stony Brook University

• Arthur Samuelh-60
• Jenny Singletonh-20
• Marie K. Huffmanh-19