Transcript Document

CAS LX 522
Syntax I
Installment 11b. Still more loose
ends about A-movement
(Chapter 8, more or less)
Recap: V2 languages

There are a number of languages that are classified
as “verb second” or “V2” languages. They are so
called because in general the (tensed) verb must be
second, after the first major constituent in the
sentence.
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De man heeft een boek gezien gisteren.
the man has a book seen yesterday
‘the man has seen a book yesterday.’
een boek heeft de man gezien gisteren.
gisteren heeft de man een boek gezien.
(Dutch)
Die Kinder haben diesen Film gesehen.
the children have this film seen
‘The children have seen this film.’
(German)
Recap: V2 languages

The basic idea we’ll pursue with respect to V2
languages is this:
To get the tensed verb higher than the subject (which is
sometimes is), we move the verb to T, and then T (with the
verb) to C.
 To put C into “second position”, we move some phrase into
SpecCP.
The “first phrase” in V2 languages
is generally interpreted as the topic
CP
of the sentences. So, we say that the
topic (whatever it is going to be) has
C
DP
a feature that marks it as such:
diesen Roman
An interpretable [top] feature.
TP
[top] C+T+V+v
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Recap: V2 languages

The way our system works (movement happens in
order to check strong uninterpretable features), we
implement this as follows:
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Because the verb moves to T, we need there to be a strong
feature checked between T and v.
This is common cross-linguistically. Recall French,where the
highest verbal head (the v, or an auxiliary) moves to T.
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This explained why verbs always precede
adverbs and negation in French.
Since the [tense] feature of T
values the [uInfl:] feature of
the highest verbal head, we
say that in French, when [tense]
values [uInfl:], the feature is
strong.
T
T
[past]
V
vP
VP
v
v
[uInfl:past*]
Recap: V2 languages

So, v starts out with a [uInfl:] feature.
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v always starts out with a [uInfl:] feature.
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We Merge T, and the [tense] feature (e.g., [past] = [tense:past])
matches and values the [uInfl:] feature.

What differentiates French and English is that when [tense]
values [uInfl:], the valued [uInfl:] feature is strong.

In English, it is not strong
except in one case: if the
[uInfl:] feature is one an
auxiliary (Perf, Prog, Pass),
then a [uInfl:] feature valued
by [tense] is strong.

Auxiliaries precede
negation and adverbs,
main verbs do not.
T
T
v
V
T
<v>
[past]
v
[uInfl:past*]
vP
VP
Reminder: Strong features

Strong features are uninterpretable features that can
only be checked when they are local to (a sister of)
the feature that checks them.
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Strong features very often = something must move.
A feature gets to be strong in one of two ways:
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An inherently strong feature of the lexical item.
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v has a strong [uV*] feature.
T has a strong [uD*] feature.
eat (V) has a strong [uD*] feature (associated with the Theme q-role).
A feature that becomes strong when valued.
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Prog has a weak [uInfl:] feature. When valued by [tense], it becomes
strong. (In English, Aux moves to T: I am not eating green eggs &
ham)
T has a weak [uclause-type:] feature. When valued by [clausetype:Q], it becomes strong. (In English, T moves to C in questions:
Would you eat them on a train?)
Recap: V2 languages
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To account for the fact that v moves to T and then T moves to C
in German: a feature that C values on T is valued as strong.
[uclause-type:] is a perfect candidate.
So, when [uclause-type:] is valued by C in German, it is valued
as strong, and so T moves to C.
C
TP
C
[decl]
T
Subject
T
v
vP
T
VP
<v>
[past,
V
v uclause-type:decl*]
[uInfl:past*]
Recap: V2 languages
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To account for the fact that v moves to T and then T moves to C
in German: a feature that C values on T is valued as strong.
[uclause-type:] is a perfect candidate.
So, when [uclause-type:] is valued by C in German, it is valued
as strong, and so T moves to C.
C
TP
C
T
v
C
[decl]
Subject
T
T
<T>
[past,
V
v uclause-type:decl*]
<v>
[uInfl:past*]
vP
VP
Recap: V2 languages

To account for the fact that the topic moves into SpecCP, we
say that C has a [utop*] feature. Whatever is the topic in the
sentence will have a feature designating that, [top].
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Just like the EPP feature ([uD*]) of T forces the subject into SpecTP, the
[utop*] feature of C will force movement of the topic into SpecCP.
C
C
T
v
V
v
TP
C
T
Subject
[decl,
T utop*] [top] <T>
<v>
vP
VP
Recap: V2 languages

To account for the fact that the topic moves into SpecCP, we
say that C has a [utop*] feature. Whatever is the topic in the
sentence will have a feature designating that, [top].

Just like the EPP feature ([uD*]) of T forces the subject into SpecTP, the
[utop*] feature of C will force movement of the topic into SpecCP.
CP
Subject
[top]
T
v
V
v
C
C
TP
C <Subject>
T
[decl,
T utop*]
<T>
<v>
vP
VP
Embedded clauses
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Will John arrive late?
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I wonder [CP if John will arrive late ].
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T moves to C in English questions.
[uclause-type:] on T is strong when valued by [Q] on C.
T does not move to C in embedded questions.
Perhaps because C is “filled” already (by if).
Intuition: We need to be able to tell when C is [Q]— if nothing is
pronounced there, we move T there to signal that C is [Q].
Er sagte [CP dass ich schon letztes Jahr diesen Roman las ]
he said
that I already last year
this book read
‘He said that I read this book already last year.’
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If C is filled in German (dass), T does not move to C.
Also notice that when T does not move to C, the verb is at the end.
German appears to be a head-final language.
Interlude: what we’re doing

Remember, what we’re doing is trying to
describe our knowledge of language.
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We believe that the intricacies of human language are
actually too complicated to learn, that we’re in fact
describing a kind of system that is genetically “builtin”, sort of like our vision system.
If that’s the case, the same system must underlie all
human languages, and the differences must be
relatively minor.
We’re identifying a few “parameters of variation”—
ways in which human languages can differ.
Interlude: what we’re doing

What we’re saying here is that languages can differ in
a few small respects, and we can account for that:
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Headedness: heads come before complements in some
languages (English), and after complements in others
(Japanese, German).
Verb-raising: some languages move v to T (French), others
don’t. (Under what conditions does T value [uInfl:] as
strong?)
V2: some languages move v all the way to C (through T),
and topicalize something, yielding the V2 pattern. (Under
what conditions does C have a [utop*] feature and value
[uclause-type:] as strong?)
EPP: VSO languages seem to move v up to T, but don’t
move the subject to SpecTP, yielding VSO. (Does T have a
[uD*] feature?)
V2…step 1
C
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C
Perf+T
habe
[Decl*]
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TP
C
Ø
[Decl]

T
DP
ich
PerfP <Perf+T>
vP
<DP>
<Perf>
v
VP
DP
<V>
diesen Roman
v
V
gelesen
v
V moves to v.
Perf moves to T.
T moves to C.
V2…step 2a
C
The object is
marked as topic.
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C has a [utop*]
feature.
TP
C
Perf+T
habe
[Decl*]

C
Ø
[Decl,
utop*]
T
DP
ich
PerfP <Perf+T>
vP
<DP>
<Perf>
v
VP
DP
<V>
diesen Roman
[top]
v
V
gelesen
v
CP
DP
diesen Roman
[top] C
Perf+T
habe
[Decl*]
C
Ø
[Decl,
utop*]
V2…step 2b
C
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The object moves
up to SpecTP.
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The tensed verb is
now in second
position.
TP
T
DP
ich
PerfP <Perf+T>
vP
<DP>
<Perf>
v
VP
<DP> <V>
v
V
gelesen
v
I saw Jack open the fridge
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Given what we have so far, what can we make
of I saw Jack open the fridge?
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This is a little bit like I want Jack to open the
fridge, so let’s start there.
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What kind of verb is want?
What is the case of Jack, and how is it checked?
What kind of embedded clause is this (CP or TP)?
I want Jack to open the fridge
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We build the vP as usual.
Merge open with the fridge
(forming VP).
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Merge v with VP (HoP).
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Move V to v

Merge Jack with v.
vP
DP
Jack
V
open
v
v
VP
v
<V>
DP
the
fridge
I want Jack to open the fridge

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Merge vP and the
nonfinite T to.
vP
Move Jack up to
SpecTP (EPP).
<DP>
v
v
V
open
TP
DP
Jack
T
T
to
vP
VP
v
<V>
DP
the
fridge
I want Jack to open the fridge
CP

TP
C
Ø
DP
I
T
[pres]
V
want
And then we add
the main clause
(want, v, T, I, C)
T
vP
<DP>
vP
v
v
V
open
VP
v
v
<V>
TP
DP
Jack
T
T
to
vP
VP
v
<V>
DP
the
fridge
I saw Jack open the fridge
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CP
 And then we add
What now of I saw Jack
the main clause
open
fridge?
(want, v, T, I, C)
C the TP
vP
Ø
T lower vP
DP
Presumably
the
<DP> v
is the same.
I
vP verbs,
 We haveTthe same
v
same
arguments.
[pres]
v
V
v
VP
Jack is the Agent of
open
v
open V
TP
<V>
want is the Theme.
The fridge
T
DP
But there’s no to. So Jack
vP
what if there’s just no T? T
to
VP
<V>
DP
the
fridge
I saw Jack open the
fridge
CP
TP
C
Ø
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Does everything work?
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DP
I
T
[past]
V
see
T
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Any other unchecked
features?
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It appears that see can take
something as small as a vP as
its complement. A small
clause.
vP
v
VP
v
<V>
DP
Jack
V
open
vP
Does Jack get its case checked?
From where?
v
v
VP
v
<V>
DP
the fridge
Small clauses

There are actually several different kinds of small
clauses. A small clause generally consists of a
predicate and just enough structure to contain all of
its arguments.
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Predicates can be found with several different categories. A
predicate is something like a property (or a relation) that
can be attributed to something (or some things).
I saw Bill open the fridge.
I consider Bill incompetent.
I saw Bill in the garden.
I consider Bill a friend.
I saw Bill in the garden

In can be considered a
predicate, relating two
arguments.
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(true when the first is
“contained” in the second)
Of course, this can also mean
that I did some seeing in the
garden, and that seeing was a
seeing of Bill—but that’s not the
meaning we’re after. The
meaning we’re after here is the
one that can be paraphrased as:
I saw that Bill was in the garden.
PP
DP
Bill
P
P
in
DP
the garden
I saw Bill in the garden

CP
As with I saw Bill
open the fridge,
TP
see seems to be C
Ø
able to take a
T
DP
small clause as
I
it complement.
T
[past]
V
see
vP
v
VP
v
<V>
DP
Bill
PP
P
P
in
DP
the garden
I consider Bill incompetent

We’ve seen small clauses with verbs…
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…and with prepositions…
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I heard [PP Bill in the kitchen ].
…but things get a little bit funny when we
consider small clauses with nominal predicates
and adjectives…
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I heard [vP Bill drive away ].
I consider [ Bill a friend ].
I consider [ Bill incompetent ].
…and even with unaccusative verbs…
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I saw [vP the ice melt ]
I saw the ice melt
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With an unaccusative verb like melt, we
would start off with this vP.
See the problem?
vP
v
V
melt
VP
v
<V>
DP
the
ice

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Something isn’t
quite right here.
In order not to
complicate
things too much,
we will not
pursue the
solution very far,
but just as an
exercise, let’s
think about what
we would need
to say.
*I saw melt
the ice
CP
TP
C
Ø
DP
I
T
[past]
V
see
T
vP
v
VP
v
<V>
vP
v
V
melt
VP
v
<V>
DP
the
ice

Somehow the ice
needs to move
over melt. But to
where?

We could say
SpecvP, but why
would the ice move
there just when we
have a small
clause
unaccusative?


*I the ice melted.
Also, this won’t
help us with a
similar problem
we’d have with
I consider Bill my
*I saw melt
the ice
CP
TP
C
Ø
DP
I
T
[past]
V
see
T
vP
v
VP
v
<V>
vP
v
V
melt
VP
v
<V>
DP
the
ice

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A suggestion that has
been made in the
literature is that small
clauses, while they
may lack a T, are still
a category of their
own: a PredP
(predication phrase).
If we suppose that we
have a PredP above
vP, one that acts like T
insofar as it has a
[uD*] feature, our
problem will be
solved.
Note: You will not be
asked to draw PredP.
*I saw melt
the ice
CP
TP
C
Ø
DP
I
T
[past]
V
see
T
vP
v
VP
v
<V>
vP
v
V
melt
VP
v
<V>
DP
the
ice
I saw the ice
melt
TP
C
Ø
DP
I
T
[past]
V
see
T
vP
v
VP
v
<V>
PredP
DP
Pred
the ice
vP
Pred
[uD*]
v
V
melt
v
VP
<V> <DP>
Etc.

From here, I’ll just leave this as a topic for further
exploration, e.g., in Syntax II.
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You’ve been exposed to the concept.
If you see small clauses again in this course, it
will only be of the PP type:
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Things get pretty complicated pretty quickly when
trying to deal with all of the properties of small clauses.
(Try thinking about I consider Bill my friend.)
I saw Bill in the garden.
I want Bill off this ship.
To repeat: You do not need to incorporate PredP
into the system for the purposes of LX522.
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I consider Bill my friend

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Small clauses need not have verbs. I saw Bill in
the garden, for example. Here, the main
predicate is in.
We’ve seen nouns assign q-roles before, for
example in Bill’s destruction of the vase.
Here, it seems like Bill is getting a role from
friend. The property friend is being attributed to
Bill.
I possess this friend, so we’ll want a PossP as
well.
I consider
Bill my
friend

PredP
Pred
This is almost right,
but…



DP
Pred
When do nouns
assign q-roles?
How does
everything get
case?
How is Bill selected
as the DP to raise
to SpecPredP?
(What feature is
matched?)
DP
my
D
D
PossP
<DP>
Poss
Poss
nP
n
N
friend
NP
n
<N>
DP
Bill