De Matrixtaal

The syntactic and morphological regularities of CS are better understood if we compare data from various language pairs that are described in a uniform way. This article argues for a matrix language approach, which means that each syntactic structure is attributed to the grammar of one language, the Matrix Language (ML), even if it contains elements from another language (the Embedded Language).The Monolingual Structure Approach (MSA) combines insights from previous matrix language approaches. After demonstrating the advantages of defining a ML, the identification of the ML according to the MSA is explicated. Finally, counter-examples and limitations of the MSA are discussed.