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Akahane Hitoshi

Affiliate Master Yamaguchi University

A phase-theoretic analysis of object omission

English and English-American literature Volume 45 Page 1-37
published_at 2010-12-20
C080045000003.pdf
[fulltext] 776 KB
Title
A phase-theoretic analysis of object omission
Creators Akahane Hitoshi
Source Identifiers
In non-contrastive contexts, object DPs can be omitted to be defocused. While observed in different languages, Rizzi (1986) pointed out that object omission is more common in languages like Italian than in English and advocated the pro-drop parameter for this difference. However, the syntactic nature of English object omission does not seem to be explained properly by his parameter. In this paper, it will be proposed that object omission involves movement to the edge of vP, in parallel with p-movement, another defocusing phenomenon. The Phase Theory constrains defocusing. In addition, defocused DPs are optionally assigned null Case which makes them invisible to phonology. Null-Case assignment is parameterized. Finally, the possibility of minimizing the inventory of empty categories will be entertained.
Michael Leo Higgins 教授退職記念号
Languages eng
Resource Type departmental bulletin paper
Publishers 山口大学人文学部・教育学部・経済学部・工学部・留学生センター
Date Issued 2010-12-20
File Version Version of Record
Access Rights open access
Relations
[ISSN]0288-2396
[NCID]AN00021380
Schools 人文学部