Grammar in 3D: on linguistic theory design

Each model of grammar represents linguistic phenomena differently. The main architectural tenets of a grammatical framework determine whether it makes use of devices such as mismatches, empty categories or derivation. This study develops a metatheoretical methodology for the assessment of and comparison between grammatical models and their syntax-semantics interface. Various syntactic phenomena that infringe upon syntax-semantics transparency are analyzed in Generative Grammar, the Parallel Architecture and Functional Discourse Grammar in order to reveal the relation between diverging architectures of grammar, on the one hand, and the existence and status of empty categories and representational mismatches, on the other.