Bounding theory

In generative grammar, bounding theory is a theory about the locality of movement.

Examples
In (i) which books has been moved over two bounding nodes, NP and CP. In (ii), NP and IP are the relevant bounding nodes. In (i) the so-called Complex NP Constraint is violated, in (ii) the so-called Subject Condition. Thus, the Subjacency condition subsumes both the Complex NP Constraint and the Subject Condition.

(i)  *which booki did John meet [NP a child [CP who read ti ]]

(ii) *the man [CP whoi [IP [NP pictures of ti ] are on the table]]

Comments
The main principle of bounding theory is the Subjacency condition, which forbids movement across more than one bounding node.

In the Minimalist program, the term bounding theory is no longer used.

Origin
The term bounding theory became widely known with Chomsky 1981.

Link
Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics