Trace theory

Trace theory is a concept primarily associated with linguistics and cognitive science, particularly in the study of syntax and language processing. It suggests that when a word or phrase is moved within a sentence (e.g., in questions or relative clauses), a "trace" is left behind to indicate the original position of that word or phrase. This theoretical construct helps to account for various grammatical phenomena, including agreement and interpretation, without requiring the original elements to be explicitly stated in their initial positions.