Abstract
Syntactic structures are complex objects. Obviously, there is no upper limit to the length of a sentence (we can't identify " the longest sentence in French "), but it's not simply a question of linear length (number of words). It's also, and above all, a question of hierarchical articulation, of an invisible structure superimposed on the visible, audible sequence of words.
The mapping program has attempted to address the issue of structural complexity by drawing maps of syntactic structures that are as detailed and systematic as possible. In addition to the important descriptive dimension of the program, cartography interacts directly with the general theory of language, enriching the empirical basis for the study of the fundamental elements and operations of syntax.
