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C-agreement or something close to it

Some thoughts on the ‘alls-construction’
  • Michael T. Putnam und Marjo van Koppen
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Advances in Comparative Germanic Syntax
Ein Kapitel aus dem Buch Advances in Comparative Germanic Syntax

Abstract

In this paper we sketch out an account for an until now undiscussed phenomenon in generative syntax, namely the so-called “alls-construction” in Midwestern American English. In this construction, an s-ending is added to all under certain circumstances. We compare and contrast this construction with complementizer agreement in West Germanic. The alls-construction is similar to complementizer agreement in that the s-ending on all, just like the inflection on the complementizer in West Germanic, is sensitive to the agreement features on the embedded subject. Contrasted with complementizer agreement, however, the alls-construction does not allow inflectional morphology to appear on any other constituent than all. Furthermore, inflection on all is only possible when all is introducing an all-pseudo-cleft. We will mainly focus on the construction internal restrictions of the inflection on all. Based on Van Craenenbroeck & Van Koppen (2002), we assert that the alls-construction in Midwestern American English is in structure quite similar to complementizer agreement in West Germanic. We come back to the external restriction on the alls-construction in the final section, where we briefly discuss some issues concerning the pseudo-cleft status of the alls-construction.

Abstract

In this paper we sketch out an account for an until now undiscussed phenomenon in generative syntax, namely the so-called “alls-construction” in Midwestern American English. In this construction, an s-ending is added to all under certain circumstances. We compare and contrast this construction with complementizer agreement in West Germanic. The alls-construction is similar to complementizer agreement in that the s-ending on all, just like the inflection on the complementizer in West Germanic, is sensitive to the agreement features on the embedded subject. Contrasted with complementizer agreement, however, the alls-construction does not allow inflectional morphology to appear on any other constituent than all. Furthermore, inflection on all is only possible when all is introducing an all-pseudo-cleft. We will mainly focus on the construction internal restrictions of the inflection on all. Based on Van Craenenbroeck & Van Koppen (2002), we assert that the alls-construction in Midwestern American English is in structure quite similar to complementizer agreement in West Germanic. We come back to the external restriction on the alls-construction in the final section, where we briefly discuss some issues concerning the pseudo-cleft status of the alls-construction.

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Advances in Comparative Germanic Syntax vii
  4. Part I. Cartography and the left periphery
  5. On a ( wh -)moved Topic in Italian, compared to Germanic 3
  6. C-agreement or something close to it 41
  7. Uncharted territory? 59
  8. Bootstrapping verb movement and the clausal architecture of German (and other languages) 85
  9. A conjunction conspiracy at the West Germanic left periphery 119
  10. Part II. Word order and movement
  11. Reconsidering odd coordination in German 151
  12. The syntax and semantics of the temporal anaphor “then” in Old and Middle English 171
  13. Jespersen’s Cycle and the issue of prosodic ‘weakness’ 197
  14. Holmberg’s Generalization 219
  15. Part III. Thematic relations and NP realization
  16. The No Case Generalization 249
  17. The new impersonal as a true passive 281
  18. Anaphoric distribution in the prepositional phrase 307
  19. Part IV. Finiteness and modality
  20. Experiencers with (un)willingness 327
  21. Finiteness 357
  22. Index of subjects & languages 391
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.141.03cag

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Advances in Comparative Germanic Syntax vii
  4. Part I. Cartography and the left periphery
  5. On a ( wh -)moved Topic in Italian, compared to Germanic 3
  6. C-agreement or something close to it 41
  7. Uncharted territory? 59
  8. Bootstrapping verb movement and the clausal architecture of German (and other languages) 85
  9. A conjunction conspiracy at the West Germanic left periphery 119
  10. Part II. Word order and movement
  11. Reconsidering odd coordination in German 151
  12. The syntax and semantics of the temporal anaphor “then” in Old and Middle English 171
  13. Jespersen’s Cycle and the issue of prosodic ‘weakness’ 197
  14. Holmberg’s Generalization 219
  15. Part III. Thematic relations and NP realization
  16. The No Case Generalization 249
  17. The new impersonal as a true passive 281
  18. Anaphoric distribution in the prepositional phrase 307
  19. Part IV. Finiteness and modality
  20. Experiencers with (un)willingness 327
  21. Finiteness 357
  22. Index of subjects & languages 391
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