Editing Syntax (section)

=== Dependency grammar ===
{{Main|Dependency grammar}}
[[Dependency grammar]] is an approach to sentence structure in which syntactic units are arranged according to the dependency relation, as opposed to the constituency relation of [[phrase structure grammar]]s. Dependencies are directed links between words. The (finite) verb is seen as the root of all clause structure and all the other words in the clause are either directly or indirectly dependent on this root (i.e. the verb). Some prominent dependency-based theories of syntax are the following:

* [[Recursive categorical syntax]], or algebraic syntax
* [[Functional generative description]]
* [[Meaning–text theory]]
* [[Operator grammar]]
* [[Word grammar]]

[[Lucien Tesnière]] (1893–1954) is widely seen as the father of modern dependency-based theories of syntax and grammar. He argued strongly against the binary division of the clause into [[subject (grammar)|subject]] and [[predicate (grammar)|predicate]] that is associated with the grammars of his day (S → NP VP) and remains at the core of most phrase structure grammars. In place of that division, he positioned the verb as the root of all clause structure.<ref>Concerning Tesnière's rejection of the binary division of the clause into subject and predicate and in favor of the verb as the root of all structure, see Tesnière (1969:103–105).</ref>