Extraposition and Logical Form

Abstract:

A basic assumption of the Government-Binding theory of Chomsky (1981)(henceforth LGB) is that NPs are (exhaustively) partitioned by the properties+/-pronominal,+/-anaphor. This makes it possible for various subtheories of grammar that are sensitive to these distinctions to operate. Empty categories are not overtly marked with respect to these properties, but they must still be assigned to the appropriate subclass.(1) a.* Tom, is illegal e, to go there b.* Tom, hit ex (2) a. b. ex It's illegal e, to go there Tom, tried e, to go there Tom, seems ex to go there (3) a. b. It seems ex to be obvious that Mary left X (4) Who, did Tom hit ex For example, the Empty Category Principle (ECP), which rules out ungoverned nonpronominal empty categories, will exclude (1a) only if the empty category in this structure is taken to be a nonpronominal (trace). The condition that an empty pronominal anaphor (PRO) must be ungoverned, a consequence of the binding theory of LGB, rules out (1b) only if the empty category here is a pronominal anaphor. We may assume that for principles of interpretation to function correctly, the empty categories in (2)–(4) must also be assigned to the appropriate subclasses. In the system of LGB the empty category is a pronominal anaphor in (2), a nonpronominal anaphor (NP-trace) in (3), and a nonpronominal nonanaphor (wh-trace/variable) in (4). In LGB Chomsky also postulates principles that characterize empty categories as

Año de publicación:

1984

Keywords:

Fuente:

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