This claim is discussed in great detail with respect to syntax, intonation and semantics within the framework of the Minimalist Program. The notion of focus structure in this work refers to the distinction between categorical, thetic and identificational sentences. The central claim is that the syntactic representation of every sentence has to encode which of these types of focus structure is realized. This claim is discussed in great detail with respect to syntax, intonation and semantics within the framework of the Minimalist Program.

Contents
Abbreviations
I. Introduction and overview
II. The syntactic framework and the FocP-hypothesis
III. A review of previous work
IV. Information structure and focus structure
V. Features, checking theory and semantic implications
VI. Intonational aspects of the FocP-hypothesis
VII. FocP-related English syntax
VIII. Semantic issues related to the FocP-hypothesis
IX. Aspects of the syntax of languages other than English
X. Summary and general conclusion
Notes
References
Appendix: Schematic F0 contours
Name Index
Subject Index