The null subject parameter and correlating properties: The case of Creole languages
-
Marco Nicolis
Abstract
The existence of correlations between the positive setting of the Null Subject
Parameter and other grammatical properties has recently been called into
question (see Newmeyer (2005)). In this paper, I show that the proref →pro-ref
correlation appears to be exceptionless and that it follows directly from the theory
of pro–drop in Rizzi (1986a). Rizzi (1982) proposes that the availability of Free
Inversion is what allows for the lack of that–t effects in pro–drop languages;
this, I further show, is empirically untenable. I present data from several Creole
languages that suggest that the lack of that–t effects in these languages is related
to the availability of null expletive pro. I take the latter to be a sufficient, but not
necessary, condition for the lack of that–t effects. I finally discuss the implication
of this finding for the parametric model.
Abstract
The existence of correlations between the positive setting of the Null Subject
Parameter and other grammatical properties has recently been called into
question (see Newmeyer (2005)). In this paper, I show that the proref →pro-ref
correlation appears to be exceptionless and that it follows directly from the theory
of pro–drop in Rizzi (1986a). Rizzi (1982) proposes that the availability of Free
Inversion is what allows for the lack of that–t effects in pro–drop languages;
this, I further show, is empirically untenable. I present data from several Creole
languages that suggest that the lack of that–t effects in these languages is related
to the availability of null expletive pro. I take the latter to be a sufficient, but not
necessary, condition for the lack of that–t effects. I finally discuss the implication
of this finding for the parametric model.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface & Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
I. The locus of (parametric) variation
- Parametric versus functional explanations of syntactic universals 75
- Three fundamental issues in parametric linguistics 109
- On the syntactic flexibility of formal features 143
- Expletives, datives, and the tension between morphology and syntax 175
- Mapping a parochial lexicon onto a universal semantics 219
- Aspect matters in the middle 247
-
II. A classic parameter revisited: the null-subject parameter
- The null subject parameter and correlating properties: The case of Creole languages 271
- The Case-F valuation parameter in Romance 295
- Silent arguments without pro : The case of Basque 311
- Case morphology and radical pro -drop 331
-
III. Parametric clustering
- The macroparameter in a microparametric world 351
- Topic prominence and null subjects 375
- Non-configurationality: Free word order and argument drop in Turkish 411
- Diachronic stability and feature interpretability 441
-
III. The acquisition of parameters
- Can children tell us anything we did not know about parameter clustering? 459
- Parameter setting and input reduction 483
- Index 517
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface & Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
I. The locus of (parametric) variation
- Parametric versus functional explanations of syntactic universals 75
- Three fundamental issues in parametric linguistics 109
- On the syntactic flexibility of formal features 143
- Expletives, datives, and the tension between morphology and syntax 175
- Mapping a parochial lexicon onto a universal semantics 219
- Aspect matters in the middle 247
-
II. A classic parameter revisited: the null-subject parameter
- The null subject parameter and correlating properties: The case of Creole languages 271
- The Case-F valuation parameter in Romance 295
- Silent arguments without pro : The case of Basque 311
- Case morphology and radical pro -drop 331
-
III. Parametric clustering
- The macroparameter in a microparametric world 351
- Topic prominence and null subjects 375
- Non-configurationality: Free word order and argument drop in Turkish 411
- Diachronic stability and feature interpretability 441
-
III. The acquisition of parameters
- Can children tell us anything we did not know about parameter clustering? 459
- Parameter setting and input reduction 483
- Index 517
