Transcript slide - Tulane University

A movement
Oct. 29, 2012 – Day 25
Introduction to Syntax
ANTH 3590/7590
Harry Howard
Tulane University
COURSE MANAGEMENT
10/29/12
http://www.tulane.edu/~howard/ANTH3590/
 We need to spend our $150 from the Provost’s
Undergraduate Activities Fund.

ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
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3
Radford §6.1-4
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
A-MOVEMENT
RECALL PREPOSITION
CP
C’
STRANDING

TP

PRN
he
T’

P, T, and C.
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
C
-----TNS]
---[EF,
will+ ø
Which categories
have a specifier?
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PRN
who
What is left out?

V.
VP
T
will
V
refer
PP
PRN
who
P’
P
-----[EF]
to
PRN
-----who
4
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5
Radford §6.2
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
SUBJECTS IN BELFAST
ENGLISH
INDUCTIVE INTRODUCTION
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
Some data

ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
1a) Some students should get distinctions.
2a) There should some students get distinctions.
3a) Should there some students get distinctions?
1a) Lots of students have missed the classes.
2b) There have lots of students missed the classes.
3b) Have there lots of students missed the classes?
Where is the subject in the clauses with there?
It cannot be in the specifier of T, because it is to the
right of T, not to the left.
 So we need a new spot, but there is a spot that has
not been used yet.

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STRUCTURE FOR BELFAST
ENGLISH THERE CLAUSES (6.4)
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ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
CP
C
ø
TP
PRN
there
T’
T
should
VP
QP
some
students
V'
V
get
QP
ø distinctions
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STRUCTURE FOR STANDARD
ENGLISH CLAUSES (6.5)
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ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
CP
C
ø
TP
QP
some
students
T’
T
should
VP
QP
some
------students
-----------
V'
V
get
QP
ø distinctions
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SUPPORTING EVIDENCE FROM THE SCOPE
OF NEGATION
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6a) Everyone hasn't finished the assignment yet.
 What does this sentence mean?

ii.
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
i.
= Not everyone has finished the assignment yet.
≠ No-one has finished the assignment yet.
But everyone c-commands not, so (ii) is what it
should mean.
 But if the subject starts out in the specifier of V,
it will be c-commanded by not, see the next slide.

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NEGATION HAS SCOPE OVER VP IF THE
SUBJECT STARTS OUT THERE
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CP
TP
QP
everyone
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
C
ø
T’
T
did
NegP
n’t
Neg'
VP
Neg
ø
QP
----------everyone
V'
V
finish
DetP
the assignment
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THE VP-INTERNAL SUBJECT HYPOTHESIS
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ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
The subject of a clause originates in spec-V.
 The movement of a nominal phrase as illustrated
in the previous diagram is known as Amovement.

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What is an idiom or idiomatic phrase?
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
IDIOMS, Radford §6.3
INDUCTIVE INTRODUCTION
Examples of idioms

Can you change their parts?
#Let's
have a couple of drinks to thaw the ice.
#Be careful not to upset the peachcart.
#The president must bite the gun.

No, you can’t change their parts.
They

are a unit, in some sense.
What are their constituents?
Most
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
7a) Let's have a couple of drinks to break the ice.
7b) Be careful not to upset the applecart.
7c) The president must bite the bullet.
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
consist of V + complement.
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SUBJECT IDIOMS
But there are a few which consist of subject + V
(+ complement):

Can you change their parts?
#Most hell broke loose.
 #The feces hit the fan.
 #The dog got your tongue.


No, the parts of subject idioms cannot be
changed, either.
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
8a) All hell broke loose.
8b) The doo-doo hit the fan.
8c) The cat got your tongue.
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
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ONE EXCEPTION
But auxiliary verbs can intervene:

If the subject of the idiom is in the specifier of V,
the whole idiom can be introduced as a unit (VP)
without being interrupted by an auxiliary verb,
see next.
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
10a) All hell will break loose.
11a) The doo-doo might hit the fan.
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
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STRUCTURE FOR SUBJECT IDIOMS
(6.12)
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C
ø
TP
QP
all hell
T’
T
will
VP
QP
---------all hell
V'
V
break
AP
loose
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
CP
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Radford §6.4
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
ARGUMENT STRUCTURE &
THEMATIC or Θ ROLES
Table of thematic (Θ) roles (15)
Example
THEME
Entity affected by the action
Mary kissed John.
Mary fell over.
AGENT
Entity that performs the
action
Mary kissed John.
Mary sneezed.
EXPERIENCER
Entity that experiences a
psychological state
Death scares Mary.
Mary likes syntax.
Me thinks…
LOCATIVE
(Stationary) place
Mary lives in Idaho.
GOAL
Destination of a motion
Mary went to Idaho.
SOURCE
Origin of a motion
Mary came from Idaho.
INSTRUMENT
Means used to perform
action
Mary hit it with a
hammer.
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
Gloss
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Thematic role
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More examples of thematic (Θ) roles(15)
3.
4.
5.
6.
1.
AGENT, THEME
2.
GOAL, THEME
3.
EXPERIENCER,
THEME
4.
THEME, GOAL
5.
THEME, LOCATIVE
6.
THEME, SOURCE
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
2.
The FBI arrested
Larry Luckless.
The suspect received
a caution.
The audience
enjoyed the play.
The president went
to Boston.
They stayed in a
hotel.
The noise came from
the house.
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1.
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Continue with A movement
20
ANTH3590/7590, Harry Howard, Tulane
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