Book Lists

New Releases by Ian RobertS

Ian RobertS is the author of Comparing Syntax (2026), Continuing Syntax (2025), Nomad Heart (2024), The Celestials (2023), Beginning Syntax (2023).

27 results found

Comparing Syntax

release date: Mar 31, 2026
Comparing Syntax
A thorough introduction to formal syntactic typology by a leader in the field, Comparing Syntax systematically covers syntactic variation across languages. The textbook covers word-order parameters, null subjects, polysynthesis, verb-movement, ergativity, interrogatives and negation within a comparative framework, ensuring that readers are able to engage with the key topics in the most up-to-date primary research literature. The comprehensive glossary, end-of-chapter exercises and annotated further reading lists allow readers to consolidate and extend their knowledge as they progress through the book. A self-contained work ideal for intermediate and advanced-level students, Comparing Syntax also builds on the author''s Beginning Syntax and Continuing Syntax.

Continuing Syntax

release date: Sep 25, 2025
Continuing Syntax
A logical and clear exposition of hierarchy and locality by a leading figure in the field, Continuing Syntax takes students from an introductory level of syntactic theory to an understanding of cutting-edge research in the field. A comprehensive range of topics is covered, including configurationality, head-movement, clause structure, nominal structure, subjacency, barriers and phases, ensuring that students have a thorough understanding of all the main components of contemporary theory. The many example sentences, extensive glossary, end-of-chapter exercises and annotated further reading lists allow readers to embed and extend their knowledge as they progress through the book. A self-contained work ideal for intermediate-level students, this volume also builds on the author''s Beginning Syntax, and lays the foundation for a third volume, Comparing Syntax, which introduces formal syntactic typology.

Nomad Heart

release date: Sep 18, 2024
Nomad Heart
Actor and musician Ian Roberts is something of a South African icon, renowned for his roles as the rugged Boer fighter Sloet Steenkamp in the TV series Arende and as Boet in the immortal and immensely popular Castrol advertisements. Ian had an unconventional youth, running wild on his family''s citrus farm in the Eastern Cape. There he grew a love of nature and first learnt the art of communicating with an audience through song and story. A master storyteller with a wicked sense of humour, Ian offers a highly entertaining glimpse of how actors make the magic happen, whether on a theatre stage or before the TV cameras. Drawing on a career that runs from Long Street to Los Angeles, and from Shakespeare to Tsotsi, Ian provides a masterclass on the art of acting, making his life story a vital guide to aspiring actors. His no-nonsense and fearless approach to life means he has never hesitated to tackle challenging roles and to do things in his own, unconventional way. Today, as frontman for Die Radio Kalahari Orkes, he continues to follow his heart.

The Celestials

release date: Oct 21, 2023
The Celestials
This closely woven Chinese, Irish and Australian story begins in Canton during the Opium Wars and expands in the Australian Gold Rush of the 19th century. The Chinese miners are entwined in adversity with the rural Irish poor and notorious Kelly Gang.

Beginning Syntax

release date: Apr 20, 2023
Beginning Syntax
A coherent introduction to generative syntax by a leader in the field, this textbook leads students through the theory from the very beginning, assuming no prior knowledge. Introducing the central concepts in a systematic and engaging way, it covers the goals of generative grammar, tacit native-speaker knowledge, categories and constituents, phrase structure, movement, binding, syntax beyond English, and the architecture of grammar. The theory is built slowly, showing in a step-by-step fashion how different versions of generative theory relate to one-another. Examples are carefully chosen to be easily understood, and a comprehensive glossary provides clear definitions of all the key terms introduced. With end of chapter exercises, broader discussion questions, and annotated further reading lists, ''Beginning Syntax'' is the ideal resource for instructors and beginning undergraduate students of syntax alike. Two further textbooks by Ian Roberts, ''Continuing Syntax'' and ''Comparing Syntax'', will take students to intermediate and advanced level.

The Complete Deeper Realms Volume 3

release date: Feb 24, 2022
The Complete Deeper Realms Volume 3
''This doorway is not merely a gateway made of wood - it leads to the wood itself - it is the forest ...'' Ravenna Friere is gone, yet anomalies in time are not; nor are the forces wishing to exploit them. With Dr Eve Wells struggling to process the loss of the enigmatic time traveller who turned her world upside down, we delve back into three more reality shifting stories from the casebook of Ravenna''s unpublished adventures. Facing her own personal troubles, curator Polly Nightingale finds herself drawn to the desert war of 1943 to face her biggest test yet in The Sands of Time. While in medieval Norway - along with Viking age expert Gunn-Rita Annasdotir - the time travellers face the terrifying truth behind the werewolf legend in The Wolf''s Head. Ravenna''s time travelling legacy has not gone without attracting unwanted attention however, and as Eve finds herself drawn to ancient Greece, embroiled in the Minoan legend of The Minotaur, a shadowy agency begins to show its hand. So Join Eve and Polly as they face adversaries both old and new ... and more of Ravenna''s dark backstory is revealed.

Radical Empathy

release date: Mar 09, 2021
Radical Empathy
Radical empathy manifests itself when you recognize that you do not have to go to happy hour or drink coffee with someone in order to understand their point of view and work with them. In fact, some of the most productive leaders focus less on social goals and understand that there will be variances in lived experiences but we must still be willing to work with people and help to leverage their unique perspectives in order to achieve better outcomes in schools.

Diachronic Syntax

release date: Jan 01, 2021
Diachronic Syntax
This second edition of Diachronic Syntax has been fully revised and updated throughout to cover the multiple developments in the area in the last decade. Written by one of the leading scholars in the field and including a glossary and suggestions for further reading, it will be an ideal textbook for undergraduate students of historical linguistics.

Parameter Hierarchies and Universal Grammar

release date: Jun 20, 2019
Parameter Hierarchies and Universal Grammar
This book develops a minimalist approach to cross-linguistic morphosyntactic variation. Ian Roberts argues that the essential insight of the principles-and-parameters approach to variation can be maintained - albeit in a somewhat different guise - in the context of the minimalist programme for linguistic theory. The central idea is to organize the parameters of Universal Grammar (UG) into hierarchies that define the ways in which properties of individually variant categories and features may act in concert. A further leading idea, which is consistent with the overall goal of the minimalist programme to reduce the content of UG, is that the parameter hierarchies are not directly determined by UG, and are instead emergent properties stemming from the interaction of the three factors in language design. Cross-linguistic variation in word order, null subjects, incorporation, verb-movement, case/alignment, wh-movement, and negation are all analysed in the light of this approach. This book represents a significant new contribution to the formal study of cross-linguistic morphosyntactic variation on both the empirical and theoretical levels, and will appeal to researchers and students in all areas of theoretical linguistics and comparative syntax.

A Land Apart

release date: Jan 01, 2019
A Land Apart
This gripping story of adventure and courage is set in a magnificent wilderness with the French, English, Iroquois, and Wendat just starting to do battle for what would become the US and Canada. The novel begins with the English pitted against the French, both aggressively claiming the land and resources of North America for themselves. The Iroquois align with the English, the Wendat with the French. The warring conflict between Iroquois and Wendat goes back generations, but exists in an uneasy balance until the English sell guns to the Iroquois. Etienne Brulé, a historical character, has lived with the Wendat for 25 years. He knows even if he can get guns for the Wendat, the price everyone will pay in the end will be way too much.

A Most Extraordinary Form of Animal

release date: Dec 04, 2018
A Most Extraordinary Form of Animal
"''Legends?'' Her heart missed a beat, the lights completely forgotten. A dark shape was moving with surprising swiftness across the black surface of the loch, its V-like wake clearly visible in the gloom."The Loch Ness Monster - timeless legend, enduring hoax, or troubling chronological anomaly?Drawn back to the 1930''s by enigmatic time-traveller Ravenna Friere, palaeontologist Eve Wells and curator Polly Nightingale find themselves on the trail of one of Britain''s most enduring legends. But as they risk discovery diving into the murky depths of Loch Ness, only time will tell if they can ensure the monster becomes nothing but a myth for all time.A thrilling welcome to the eclectic time travelling world of Ian Roberts. #TheWardrobeDoor

The Final-Over-Final Condition

release date: Oct 27, 2017
The Final-Over-Final Condition
An examination of the evidence for and the theoretical implications of a universal word order constraint, with data from a wide range of languages. This book presents evidence for a universal word order constraint, the Final-over-Final Condition (FOFC), and discusses the theoretical implications of this phenomenon. FOFC is a syntactic condition that disallows structures where a head-initial phrase is contained in a head-final phrase in the same extended projection/domain. The authors argue that FOFC is a linguistic universal, not just a strong tendency, and not a constraint on processing. They discuss the effects of the universal in various domains, including the noun phrase, the adjective phrase, the verb phrase, and the clause. The book draws on data from a wide range of languages, including Hindi, Turkish, Basque, Finnish, Afrikaans, German, Hungarian, French, English, Italian, Romanian, Arabic, Hebrew, Mandarin, Pontic Greek, Bagirmi, Dholuo, and Thai. FOFC, the authors argue, is important because it is the only known example of a word order asymmetry pertaining to the order of heads. As such, it has significant repercussions for theories connecting the narrow syntax to linear order.

The Wonders of Language

release date: Feb 09, 2017
The Wonders of Language
Ian Roberts offers a stimulating introduction to our greatest gift as a species: our capacity for articulate language. We are mostly as blissfully unaware of the intricacies of the structure of language as fish are of the water they swim in. We live in a mental ocean of nouns, verbs, quantifiers, morphemes, vowels and other rich, strange and deeply fascinating linguistic objects. This book introduces the reader to this amazing world. Offering a thought-provoking and accessible introduction to the main discoveries and theories about language, the book is aimed at general readers and undergraduates who are curious about linguistics and language. Written in a lively and direct style, technical terms are carefully introduced and explained and the book includes a full glossary. The book covers all the central areas of linguistics, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics, as well as historical linguistics, sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics.

The Power of Seven Second Chances

release date: Feb 07, 2017
The Power of Seven Second Chances
Jack Welch was named "Manager of the Century" by Fortune magazine partly because under his leadership, GE stock went up 4,000 percent. Welch, a ruthless believer in productivity, subscribed to the idea of "hiring the best and firing the rest." Welch was undeniably successful, so arguing with his approach requires a clear paradigm shift, and that''s exactly what this book is about - an approach diametrically opposed to the idea of "firing the rest." Our first argument against "firing the rest" is philosophical and, perhaps, idealistic. A relentless and unforgiving focus on productivity promotes a culture of fear - an environment in which employees are more likely to compete against each other than collaborate. We believe this kind of environment is not the most conducive to growth and development, and we also know most people simply don''t enjoy working under such conditions. And our second argument is plain and practical. Most organizations just cannot afford to "hire the best and fire the rest."Employers of choice may fire the bottom 10 percent of their managers every year, just like GE did under Welch. And they may also hire among the top 10 percent of each graduating class as they replenish their management pool. But unless you''re an employer of choice, your hiring and firing options are likely much more limited. Often you must choose among candidates with varying levels of skill, talent, or passion; only rarely do you find a strong balance of all three attributes. And when it comes to firing, most companies would do well to reserve that most extreme of measures for the most extreme of circumstances. Luckily, most do.So, how an educator with a record of success in public school turnarounds and a chemical engineer with years of management and consulting experience suddenly find themselves advocating for a new approach to leadership. One of us started out as an "at-risk youth," one of those kids who was always in trouble, and he ended up competing in the Olympic games -thanks to a principal who was willing to give him a second chance. And one of us, with nothing but tough leadership as examples, spent years as a hard-nosed manager leading the way she''d always been led, until graduate work in adult learning taught her that people need more than force, facts, or fear to change their behavior - they need relationship and multiple opportunities to get it right.We have come together to collaborate on this project because our very different experiences have led us to a common belief. Our professional paths have converged at the realization that most managers, like most educators, must build success with what they have. And in order to build success with what they have, they must take the time to understand, nurture, and develop talent. While precise evaluation and decisive action may be the tools of an effective manager under the Welch model - a manager who may "fire the rest" - empathy and compassion are the quintessential tools of managers and educators. Working, like we do, in urban education or community health, empathy and compassion are simply a must. Not only does work in these fields require a high degree of emotional intelligence, but also these sectors in general draw from a talent pool in which passion is much more abundant than training. This kind of work attracts workers inspired by the mission and the vision of their organizations, workers who are typically highly empathetic themselves, and workers who are neither motivated nor helped by unyielding standards. Leading these kinds of organizations requires an empathetic approach - an approach that both recognizes employees as resources worth developing and empowers them to treat and lead others empathetically as well.This book is for those leaders who need to make the most of the people they have by using evaluation as an information-gathering mechanism to guide growth and development.

From Know-How to Do-How

release date: May 16, 2013
From Know-How to Do-How
If know-how is knowing what to do to make change happen, do-how is doing what needs to be done - there''s a big difference. Everybody knows that change can be difficult. Sometimes you feel yourself stuck going round in circles as you revisit the same challenges again and again. But there is a way to change things and it doesn''t have to be complicated. In this highly practical book, Dave Corbet and Ian Roberts show just how quickly you can move forward once you recognize that the key to change is not your know-how - understanding how to make change happen in theory - but your do-how - the shifts in behavior that will deliver the changes you want, whether this be at home or work. Dispensing with academic jargon, and illustrated throughout with real-life examples and case studies, the book draws together diverse aspects of change into one simple, tried-and-tested roadmap, allowing you to develop the do-how you need to achieve breakthrough change: change that sticks, and delivers results. - Transform the culture of your organization - Proactively manage an underperforming team member - Reignite and develop your career - Improve relationships with partners or children - Learn to say no

The Energy Glut

release date: Apr 04, 2013
The Energy Glut
World-wide, over a billion adults are overweight and 300 million are officially ''obese'', more than 3,000 people die every day on the world''s roads and global warming and war threaten our survival as a species. The Energy Glut tells the story of energy and how our abuse of fossil fuel energy links all of these public issues as manifestations of the same fundamental planetary malaise. This exciting new book argues that the pulse of fossil fuel energy released from the ground after the discovery of oil not only started the process of catastrophic climate change, but also propelled the average human weight distribution upwards. The author presents a frightening vision of humans besieged by a food industry that uses sophisticated marketing techniques to sell mountains of energy-dense food to those who are ''functionally paralysed'', with fewer opportunities to move our bodies than ever before. We see why the accumulation of body fat is a political, not a personal, problem. This insightful new work offers and appraises for the reader a set of personal and political de-carbonising strategies, but to ''tread more lightly on our world'' we first need to make sense of the systemic processes, and The Energy Glut takes expert first steps in this direction.

Edexcel Gcse Science Revision Workbook. Foundation

release date: Jun 01, 2012
Edexcel Gcse Science Revision Workbook. Foundation
Ideal for classroom or independent study, this revision workbook is the smart choice for studying on the foundation tier for Edexcel GCSE science.

Essential German Verbs

release date: Sep 24, 2010
Essential German Verbs
Is this the right course for me? Essential German Verbs is the course for you if you need help with your study of German. This fully revised edition of our best-selling course contains plenty of hints on how to learn verbs effectively. The aim of this book is to help you improve your command of German by focusing on one aspect of language learning that invariably causes difficulties - verbs and the way they behave. Whether you are a complete beginner or a relatively advanced learner, you can consult the book when you need to know the form of a verb quickly. The introductory section gives you a complete overview of German verbs and how they work in the various tenses. Essential German Verbs contains: - full coverage of the main tenses for 200 frequently used German verbs arranged alphabetically for quick and easy reference - examples of the verbs in everyday use, with colloquial expressions and words sharing the same origin - a German-English verb list of approximately 3000 verbs with details of the patterns they follow - an English-German verb list giving the most frequently used English verbs in German with details of the patterns they follow Learn effortlessly with a new, easy-to-read page design: Author insights Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author''s many years of experience. Useful vocabulary Easy to find and learn, to build a solid foundation for speaking. Download our free app, Teach Yourself Library, from the App Store or Google Play to access the free audio.

Drove Roads of Northumberland

release date: Jan 01, 2010
Drove Roads of Northumberland
Droving has been hugely important in shaping farming practice across Northumberland for 1,000 years or more. The necessity of transporting sheep and cattle has changed the landscape, developed the roads and buildings, and at one time, animals would be herded from as far a field as Scotland and Ireland. Today the scene is very different but the legacy of the drovers can still be seen and enjoyed all over the region. Local archaeologists Ian Roberts, Alan Rushworth, and Richard Calrton have been determined to preserve this history on behalf of the Northumberland National Park Authority. Following the development of droving in Northumberland from prehistoric times, through Middle Ages, the eighteenth century and right up to date, they offer the definitive history of this significant activity.

Prisoners or Presidents

release date: Jun 17, 2009
Prisoners or Presidents
The demand for information about effective special education programs in public and private educational institutions continues to grow. There is an increase in the alarming statistics surrounding the impact of the negative effects that failing special education programs; particularly those that are focused on placing students in exclusion and self- contained environments. Prisoners or Presidents: How and Why Inclusion Determines The Future of Students With Special Needs offers a comprehensive discussion of special education and inclusion. This book provides insight into the wonderful things that can happen to students when the two are merged. This book is written for every educator, parent, policy maker and child who has or has ever had a special need. In addition, this book provides a comprehensive overview about the history of special education, legislation, policy, and practices from the 1800s to Contemporary America.

Prisoners Or Presidents

release date: Jun 01, 2009
Prisoners Or Presidents
The demand for information about effective special education programs in public and private educational institutions continues to grow. There is an increase in the alarming statistics surrounding the impact of the negative effects that failing special education programs; particularly those that are focused on placing students in exclusion and self- contained environments. Prisoners or Presidents: ?How and Why Inclusion Determines The Future of Students With Special Needs? offers a comprehensive discussion of special education and inclusion. This book provides insight into the wonderful things that can happen to students when the two are merged. This book is written for every educator, parent, policy maker and child who has or has ever had a special need. In addition, this book provides a comprehensive overview about the history of special education, legislation, policy, and practices from the 1800?s to Contemporary America.

Mastering Composition

release date: Nov 29, 2007
Mastering Composition
Create Better Compositions by Design The path to better painting begins with Mastering Composition. This effective guide blends clear, visual instruction with 5 step-by-step demonstrations to show you how to plan and paint your best work yet. Composition is the key, and here you''ll learn to design paintings with new skill and confidence. It all begins with the armature or structure of the picture plane. Every great painting has one, and you''ll see through several famous examples exactly how the Old Masters used armatures to create movement, narrative, harmony and fluidity. Based on these examples, you''ll practice what you''ve learned following a series of hands-on demonstrations. Once you understand the basic principles of design, you''ll be amazed at how quickly and effectively your compositions come together. Soon you will be painting more boldly and confidently than ever before with less reworking and overworking. Whether you''re a beginner looking for basic instruction or a more advanced painter troubleshooting a specific problem, the proven methods in this book will work for you. Ideal for all mediums, Mastering Composition gives you the knowledge you need to create powerful paintings out of every subject.

Teach Yourself World Cultures

release date: Jan 01, 2004
Teach Yourself World Cultures
A fascinating and comprehensive exploration of GermanyPerfect for everyone from general readers to students to recreational or business travelers, the Teach Yourself World Cultures series explores language, history, art, politics, economics, cuisine, and much more. Each book in the series lists useful addresses, websites, and points of interest. Mixing historical information with travel tips, Teach Yourself World Cultures books are both educational and entertaining.Teach Yourself World Cultures: Germany provides: A balanced and comprehensive overview of the nation--from geography to political history to the workplace environment of today Valuable information on the people and their customs Practical vocabulary and language tips for the traveler Recipes for common dishes of the region

Syntactic Change

release date: Sep 04, 2003
Syntactic Change
The phenomenon of grammaticalization - the historical process whereby new grammatical material is created - has attracted a great deal of attention within linguistics. This is an attempt to provide a general account of this phenomenon in terms of a formal theory of syntax. Using Chomsky''s Minimalist Program for linguistic theory, Roberts and Roussou show how this approach gives rise to a number of important conceptual and theoretical issues concerning the nature of functional categories and the form of parameters, as well as the relation of both of these to language change. Drawing on examples from a wide range of languages, they construct a general account of grammaticalization with implications for linguistic theory and language acquisition.

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

release date: Jan 01, 1994

Shepparton, Victoria, Australia

release date: Jan 01, 1991

Creative Authenticity

Creative Authenticity
Serious working artists are the intended audience of this collection of short essays that clarify common expressive and personal problems that many artists encounter, including the fear of being clichéd, the desire to convey truth in art, and the frustration behind trying to find an authentic voice. These crippling fears are laid to rest through insightful discussions of personal experiences, the struggles of famous artists, and the rewards of producing art that comes from an authentic creative core. Providing sensitive reassurances that these struggles are normal, these essays encourage artists to focus on the development of their crafts and find inspiration to work through self-doubt.
27 results found


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