In Noam Chomsky's government and binding theory in linguistics, an R-expression (short for "referring expression" (the linked article explains the different, broader usage in other theories of linguistics) or "referential expression") is a noun phrase that refers to a specific real or imaginary entity. In contrast with anaphors and pronouns/pronominals, R-expressions obey condition C, which states that they are free, not bound to any other element. R-expressions include determiner phrases that are definite, and names.
Book: Crystal, David . A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics . 2008-06-06 . Wiley . 978-1-4051-5296-9 . 1 . 416 . en . R-expression . 10.1002/9781444302776.ch18.
Web site: DeArmond . Richard C. . 7 January 2004 . Chapter 4: Binding Theory . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180729063106/http://www.sfu.ca/person/dearmond/322/322-4-BindingTheory.fm6.pdf . 2018-07-29 . 2024-09-26 . L322 (Linguistics 322) Syntax . Simon Fraser University.
Book: Gluckman, John . The Science of Syntax . 2022-07-26 . Pressbooks . Chapter 9: Binding theory . first published 17 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240827115301/https://pressbooks.pub/syntax/chapter/binding-theory/#navigation . 2024-08-27 . live.
Web site: Hagstrom . Paul . 2005-09-26 . Episode 4a. Binding Theory, NPIs, c-command, ditransitives, and little v; 4.3-4.4 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240926170857/https://www.bu.edu/linguistics/UG/course/lx522-f05/handouts/lx522f05-4a-ccmd.pdf . 2024-09-26 . 2024-09-26 . CAS LX 522: Syntax I . Boston University . 16 June 2021.
Web site: Jackson . Eric Maurice . May 27, 2023 . What is an R-expression, and how is it different from a pronoun? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240926171423/https://open.openclass.ai/resource/assignment-6449c751828ebe4b7778fe55/question-6466b6b5791c01cd28ff8557/feedback/share . 2024-09-26 . 2024-09-26 . . OpenClass . Unit 2: Constituency and structure.
Web site: 1996–2001 . Kerstens . Johan . Ruys . Eddy . Zwarts . Joost . R-expression . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230129024033/https://lexicon.hum.uu.nl/zoek.pl?lemma=R-expression . 2023-01-29 . 2024-09-26 . Lexicon of Linguistics . Utrecht Institute of Linguistics (OTS), Utrecht University.
Book: Trask, R. L. . A Dictionary of Grammatical Terms in Linguistics . 2013-04-15 . Routledge . 978-1-134-88420-9 . 241–242 . en . R-expression.
