Role and Reference Grammar as a Framework for Linguistic Analysis

Role and Reference Grammar (RRG) was inspired by both typological and theoretical concerns. The motivating questions for it were: What would a linguistic theory look like if it were based on the analysis of languages with diverse structures, such as Lakhota, Tagalog, Dyirbal, and Barai, rather than the analysis of English? How can the interaction of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics in different grammatical systems be best captured and explained? This chapter is organized as follows. Section 28.2 discusses the organization of RRG. Section 28.3 describes the linking between syntax and semantics. Section 28.4 provides a brief summary.