skip to content
Home

Cambridge Language Sciences

Interdisciplinary Research Centre
 

Professor Ian Roberts FBA

Research

The comparative and historical syntax of many of the Germanic, Romance and Celtic languages. The possible constraint on word orders across languages.

Publications (from Symplectic)

Journal articles

2024

  • Roberts, I., 2024. Form Copy, Agree and Clitics Probus, v. 36
    Doi: 10.1515/probus-2024-2003
    •

    2015

  • Biberauer, T. and Roberts, I., 2015. Rethinking Formal Hierarchies: A Proposed Unification Cambridge Occasional Papers in Linguistics, v. 7
    •

    2014

  • Watumull, J., Hauser, MD., Roberts, IG. and Hornstein, N., 2014. On recursion. Front Psychol, v. 4
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.01017
    •
  • Biberauer, T., Holmberg, A. and Roberts, I., 2014. A Syntactic Universal and Its Consequences Linguistic Inquiry, v. 45
    Doi: 10.1162/ling_a_00153
    •
  • Roberts, I., 2014. The mystery of the overlooked discipline: Modern syntactic theory and cognitive science Revue Roumaine de Linguistique, v. 59
    •

    2013

  • Roberts, I., 2013. Comments on Grimshaw Mind and Language, v. 28
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1111/mila.12033
    •
  • Holmberg, A. and Roberts, I., 2013. The syntax-morphology relation Lingua, v. 130
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2012.10.006
    •
  • Roberts, I., 2013. Some speculations on the development of the Romance periphrastic perfect Revue Roumaine de Linguistique, v. 58
    •

    2011 (No publication date)

  • Roberts, IG. and Biberauer, T., 2011 (No publication date). Comments on Jäger “Anything is nothing is something”: on the diachrony of polarity types of indefinites Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, v. 28
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1007/s11049-010-9111-3
    •

    2011

  • Roberts, IG., 2011. Non-arguments for non-universals Language Typology, v. 15
    •

    2010

  • Roberts, IG. and Longobardi, G., 2010. Universals, diversity and change in the science of language: Reaction to ‘The Myth of Language Universals and Cognitive Science.' Lingua, v. 120
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2010.04.006
    •
  • Roberts, IG. and D’Alessandro, R., 2010. Past participle agreement in Abruzzese: split auxiliary selection and the null-subject parameter. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, v. 28
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1007/s11049-009-9085-1
    •
  • Biberauer, T. and Roberts, I., 2010. Comments on Jager "Anything is nothing is something": on the diachrony of polarity types of indefinites NAT LANG LINGUIST TH, v. 28
    Doi: 10.1007/s11049-010-9111-3
    •

    2008

  • Roberts, IG. and D’Alessandro, R., 2008. Movement and Agreement in Italian Past Participles and Defective Phases.
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1162/ling.2008.39.3.477
    •

    2006

  • Borsley, RD., Sadler, L., Roberts, I. and Willis, D., 2006. Special issue - Celtic linguistics - Introduction LINGUA, v. 116
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2005.05.003
    •
  • 2006. Celtic Linguistics Lingua: International Review of General Linguistics, v. 116
    •

    2003

  • Roberts, I., 2003. Results in diachronic linguistics Lingue e Linguaggio, v. 2
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1418/10884
    •

    2001

  • Roberts, I., 2001. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, v. 19
    Doi: 10.1023/a:1013378628509
    •

    2000

  • Roberts, I., 2000. Some Remarks on the Diachrony of French Negation/Algumas Observações sobre a Diacronia da Negação em Francês D. E. L. T. A.: Revista de Documentação de Estudos em Lingüística Teórica e Aplicada, v. 16
    •
  • Roberts, I., 2000. Caricaturing dissent Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, v. 18
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006408422545
    •

    1999

  • Roberts, I. and Roussou, A., 1999. A formal approach to “grammaticalization” Linguistics, v. 37
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1515/ling.37.6.1011
    •

    1998

  • Roberts, I., 1998. Have/be raising, move F, and procrastinate Linguistic Inquiry, v. 29
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1162/002438998553671
    •

    1997

  • Roberts, I., 1997. The syntax of direct object mutation in welsh Canadian Journal of Linguistics, v. 42
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/s0008413100016856
    •
  • Roberts, I., 1997. Restructuring, Head Movement, and Locality Linguistic Inquiry, v. 28
    •

    1994

  • Borsley, RD. and Roberts, I., 1994. Editorial Note Journal of Linguistics, v. 30
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/S0022226700016169
    •

    1993

  • Clark, R. and Roberts, I., 1993. A Computational Model of Language Learnability and Language Change Linguistic Inquiry, v. 24
    •

    1992

  • Roberts, I., 1992. A formal account of grammaticalisation in the history of romance futures Folia Linguistica Historica, v. 26
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1515/flih.1992.13.1-2.219
    •

    1991

  • Roberts, I., 1991. Excorporation and Minimality Linguistic Inquiry, v. 22
    •

    1989

  • Rizzi, L. and Roberts, I., 1989. Complex Inversion in French Probus, v. 1
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1515/prbs.1989.1.1.1
    •
  • Baker, M., Johnson, K. and Roberts, I., 1989. Passive Arguments Raised Linguistic Inquiry, v. 20
    •

    1988

  • Roberts, I., 1988. Predicative APs Linguistic Inquiry, v. 19
    •
  • Roberts, I., 1988. From Rules to Constraints Lingua e Stile: Rivista di Storia della Lingua Italiana, v. 23
    •

    1985

  • Roberts, IG., 1985. Agreement parameters and the development of English modal auxiliaries Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, v. 3
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1007/BF00205413
    •
  • Roberts, I., 1985. Serial Verbs and Government Binding Theory Studies in African Linguistics, v. Supplement 9
    •
    Books

    2019

  • Roberts, I., 2019. Parameter Hierarchies and Universal Grammar
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198804635.001.0001
    •

    2018

  • Ledgeway, A. and Roberts, I., 2018. Series preface
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198813545.001.0001
    •
  • Ledgeway, A. and Roberts, I., 2018. Series preface
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198747307.001.0001
    •
  • Ledgeway, A. and Roberts, I., 2018. Series preface
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198795841.001.0001
    •

    2017

  • Sheehan, ML., Biberauer, TB, , Holmberg, A, and Roberts, IG, , 2017. The Final over Final Condition: A word-order universal and its implications for linguistic theory
  • Ledgeway, A. and Roberts, I., 2017. The Cambridge handbook of historical syntax
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/9781107279070
    •

    2016

  • Roberts, I., 2016. The Oxford Handbook of Universal Grammar
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199573776.001.0001
    •

    2013

  • 2013. Challenges to Linearization
    Doi: 10.1515/9781614512431
    •

    2010

  • Roberts, I., 2010. Agreement and head movement: Clitics, incorporation, and defective goals
  • Roberts, IG., 2010. Agreement and Head Movement
  • 2010. Noam Chomsky and Language Descriptions
    Doi: 10.1075/daslu.2
    •

    2009

  • Biberauer, T., Holmberg, A., Roberts, I. and Sheehan, M., 2009. Parametric Variation
    Doi: 10.1017/cbo9780511770784
    •
  • Biberauer, T., Holmberg, A., Roberts, I. and Sheehan, M., 2009. Parametric variation: Null subjects in minimalist theory
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511770784
    •
  • Roberts, I. and Holmberg, A., 2009. Introduction: Parameters in minimalist theory
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511770784.001
    •
  • D'Alessandro, R., Ledgeway, A. and Roberts, IG., 2009. Syntactic variation
  • 2009. Germanic Languages and Linguistic Universals
    Doi: 10.1075/daslu.1
    •

    2008

  • Yoon, JY. and Kim, KA., 2008. The perspectives of linguistics in the 21st century

    • 2007

  • Roberts, IG., 2007. Principles and Parameters in a VSO Language: A Case Study in Welsh
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195168211.001.0001
    •
  • Roberts, IG., 2007. Diachronic syntax

    • 2005

  • Roberts, IG., 2005. Principles and parameters in a VSO language

    • 1999

  • 1999. Beyond Principles and Parameters
    Doi: 10.1007/978-94-011-4822-1
    •

    1996

  • 1996. The Syntax of the Celtic Languages
    Doi: 10.1017/cbo9780511586279
    •
    Book chapters

    2017 (Published online)

  • Biberauer, T. and Roberts, I., 2017 (Published online). Chapter 4. Conditional inversion and types of parametric change
    Doi: 10.1075/la.243.04rob
    •

    2017

  • Ledgeway, A. and Roberts, I., 2017. Principles and parameters
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/9781107279070.028
    •
  • Roberts, I., 2017. Inertia
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/9781107279070.021
    •
  • Roberts, I., 2017. Uniformitarianism
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/9781107279070.017
    •
  • Ledgeway, A. and Roberts, I., 2017. Introduction
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/9781107279070.001
    •
  • Biberauer, T. and Roberts, I., 2017. Parameter setting
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/9781107279070.008
    •

    2016 (Published online)

  • Biberauer, T. and Roberts, I., 2016 (Published online). Parameter typology from a diachronic perspective
    Doi: 10.1075/la.234.10bib
    •

    2016

  • Roberts, I., 2016. Object Clitics

    • 2015

  • Biberauer, T. and Roberts, I., 2015. The Clausal Hierarchy, Features and Parameters
  • Roberts, I. and Watumull, J., 2015. Leibnizian Linguistics

    • 2014

  • Holmberg, A. and Roberts, I., 2014. Parameters and the three factors of language design
  • Roberts, I., 2014. Taraldsen’s Generalisation and Diachronic Syntax: Two Ways to Lose Null Subjects
  • Roberts, I., 2014. Syntactic change
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315796604
    •
  • Roberts, I., 2014. Subject Clitics and Macroparameters

    • 2013 (No publication date)

  • Sheehan, ML., Biberauer, T., Holmberg, AH. and Roberts, IGR., 2013 (No publication date). Complexity in comparative syntax: the view from modern parametric theory

    • 2013

  • Roberts, I., 2013. Macroparameters and minimalism
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199659203.003.0017
    •

    2012 (No publication date)

  • Roberts, IG., 2012 (No publication date). “Comments and a conjecture inspired by Fabb & Halle”
  • Roberts, IG., 2012 (No publication date). “Syntactic Change”

    • 2012

  • Roberts, I., 2012. Diachrony and Cartography: Paths of Grammaticalization and the Clausal Hierarchy
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199746736.003.0027
    •

    2011

  • Biberauer, T. and Roberts, I., 2011. Negative Words and Related Expressions: A New Perspective on Some Familiar Puzzles
  • Brett, AS., 2011. LOCALITY
  • Roberts, IG., 2011. Head Movement and the Minimalist Program.
  • Roberts, I., 2011. Agreement marking in Welsh and Romance
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1515/9783110804010.621
    •

    2010

  • Roberts, IG., 2010. Grammaticalisation, the Clausal Hierarchy and Semantic Bleaching.

    • 2009

  • Biberauer, MT. and Roberts, I., 2009. Subjects, Tense and Verb-movement.
  • Biberauer, MT. and Roberts, I., 2009. The Return of the Subset Principle.
  • Roberts, IG. and Biberauer, T., 2009. The Return of the Subset Principle.
  • Roberts, I., 2009. A deletion analysis of null subjects
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511770784.002
    •
  • Roberts, I., 2009. Varieties of French and the null subject parameter
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511770784.009
    •

    2008

  • Roberts, IG. and Biberauer, T., 2008. Cascading Parameter Changes: Internally-driven Change in Middle and Early Modern English.
  • Biberauer, MT. and Roberts, I., 2008. Cascading parameter changes: internally driven change in Middle and Early Modern English.

    • 2006

  • Biberauer, T. and Roberts, I., 2006. Loss of residual “head final” orders and remnant fronting in Late Middle English
    Doi: 10.1075/la.97.13bib
    •

    2005

  • Roberts, I. and Holmberg, A., 2005. On the Role of Parameters in Universal Grammar: A Reply to Newmeyer

    • 2001

  • Roberts, I., 2001. Verb Movement and Markedness

    • 1997

  • Roberts, I., 1997. Directionality and Word Order Change in the History of English

    • 1996

  • Roberts, I. and Shlonsky, U., 1996. Pronominal enclisis in VSO languages
    Doi: 10.1017/cbo9780511586279.006
    •

    1995

  • Roberts, I., 1995. Object Movement and Verb Movement in Early Modern English
    Doi: 10.1007/978-94-015-8416-6_12
    •

    1994

  • Roberts, I., 1994. Two Types of Head Movement in Romance
  • Roberts, I., 1994. Agreement and Object Clitics in Franco-Provençal Valdôtain

    • 1991

  • Roberts, I., 1991. NP-Movement, Crossover and Chain-Formation

    • 1983

  • Roberts, I., 1983. The Syntax of English Modals
    • Conference proceedings

    2011 (No publication date)

  • Roberts, IG. and Biberauer, T., 2011 (No publication date). Subjects, Tense and Verb-Movement in Germanic and Romance. http://www.ic.nanzan-u.ac.jp/LINGUISTICS/glow/pdf/delhi_glow_proceedings.pdf,
    •
  • Roberts, IG., Biberauer, T. and Holmberg, A., 2011 (No publication date). Structure and Linearisation in Disharmonic Word Orders. http://www.lingref.com/cpp/wccfl/26/index.html,
    •

    2007

  • Roberts, IG., Biberauer, T. and Holmberg, A., 2007. Disharmonic Word Orders and the Final-over-Final Constraint (FOFC). http://amsacta.cib.unibo.it/2397/1/PROCEEDINGS_IGG33.pdf,
    •

    2005

  • Biberauer, T. and Roberts, I., 2005. Changing EPP parameters in the history of English: accounting for variation and change ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS, v. 9
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/S1360674305001528
    •
    Internet publications

    2011 (No publication date)

  • Biberauer, T. and Roberts, IG., 2011 (No publication date). Subjects, Tense and Verb-Agreement in Germanic and Romance,
    • Theses / dissertations
  • Roberts, IG., Representation of Implicit and Dethematized Subjects
    • Professor of Linguistics
    Departments and institutes: 
    Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics
    Professor Ian Roberts

    Contact Details

    Email address: 
    igr20@cam.ac.uk

    Affiliations

    Classifications: 
    Academic Staff

    Study at Cambridge

    About the University

    Research at Cambridge