Eliminating factivity from syntax
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Carlos de Cuba
Abstract
This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion on the syntax and semantics of object clauses. Using data from Hungarian and English, we claim that ‘factivity’ is a lexico-semantic concept without a direct correlate in syntax. Instead, we propose that ‘referentiality’ is the feature that differentiates a simple [CP] (the syntactic realization of a proposition) from a more complex [cP[CP]] (encoding a speech act). We support this analysis by looking at the interpretation of sentential embedding constructions and the distribution of clausal expletives in Hungarian. Our account allows us to appeal to the referential property of CP to explain wh-extraction patterns (i.e. the ‘factive island’ effect), as well as syntactic and semantic constraints on wh-expletive constructions.
Abstract
This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion on the syntax and semantics of object clauses. Using data from Hungarian and English, we claim that ‘factivity’ is a lexico-semantic concept without a direct correlate in syntax. Instead, we propose that ‘referentiality’ is the feature that differentiates a simple [CP] (the syntactic realization of a proposition) from a more complex [cP[CP]] (encoding a speech act). We support this analysis by looking at the interpretation of sentential embedding constructions and the distribution of clausal expletives in Hungarian. Our account allows us to appeal to the referential property of CP to explain wh-extraction patterns (i.e. the ‘factive island’ effect), as well as syntactic and semantic constraints on wh-expletive constructions.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword vii
- Hungarian v 1
- Eliminating factivity from syntax 29
- Negative quantifiers in Hungarian 65
- Polarity particles in Hungarian 95
- Experimental evidence for recursion in prosody 119
- Trochaic proper government, loose CV, and vowel ~ zero alternation in Hungarian 143
- Ablative causes in Hungarian 167
- Morphology or phonology? 197
- Adpositional preverbs, chain reduction and phases 217
- Overt nominative subjects in infinitival complements in Hungarian 251
- Name index 277
- Subject index 279
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword vii
- Hungarian v 1
- Eliminating factivity from syntax 29
- Negative quantifiers in Hungarian 65
- Polarity particles in Hungarian 95
- Experimental evidence for recursion in prosody 119
- Trochaic proper government, loose CV, and vowel ~ zero alternation in Hungarian 143
- Ablative causes in Hungarian 167
- Morphology or phonology? 197
- Adpositional preverbs, chain reduction and phases 217
- Overt nominative subjects in infinitival complements in Hungarian 251
- Name index 277
- Subject index 279
