Skip to main content
Presented to you through Paradigm Publishing Services

John Benjamins Publishing Company

Visit our Partner Page See all our books
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

The copy theory of movement

A view from PF
  • and

Abstract

Based on previous work by Bošković (2001, 2002, 2004a,b) and Nunes (1999, 2004), this chapter discusses a considerable amount of evidence involving A-movement, A'-movement, head movement, and remnant movement that points to the conclusion that “traces” (i.e. copies structurally lower in the syntactic representation) may be phonetically realized. In addition, the issues regarding phonetic realization of copies are shown to be determined by conditions of the phonological component and not of syntax (movement) per se. As a result, the chapter is able to explain a variety of complex phenomena that cannot be captured by trace theory. The chapter starts by reviewing several pieces of evidence that show that the phonetic realization of copies is similar to the LF interpretive procedure in the sense that it allows activation of lower copies, as well as instances of “scattered deletion”, where different pieces of different chain links are realized. It is argued that convergence requirements related to linearization and morphological fusion interact with economy computations regarding applications of deletion, yielding a complex crosslinguistic pattern whereby chains in the general case have only their highest link phonetically realized, but they may also trigger pronunciation of a lower link or even pronunciation of multiple links if convergence so demands.

Abstract

Based on previous work by Bošković (2001, 2002, 2004a,b) and Nunes (1999, 2004), this chapter discusses a considerable amount of evidence involving A-movement, A'-movement, head movement, and remnant movement that points to the conclusion that “traces” (i.e. copies structurally lower in the syntactic representation) may be phonetically realized. In addition, the issues regarding phonetic realization of copies are shown to be determined by conditions of the phonological component and not of syntax (movement) per se. As a result, the chapter is able to explain a variety of complex phenomena that cannot be captured by trace theory. The chapter starts by reviewing several pieces of evidence that show that the phonetic realization of copies is similar to the LF interpretive procedure in the sense that it allows activation of lower copies, as well as instances of “scattered deletion”, where different pieces of different chain links are realized. It is argued that convergence requirements related to linearization and morphological fusion interact with economy computations regarding applications of deletion, yielding a complex crosslinguistic pattern whereby chains in the general case have only their highest link phonetically realized, but they may also trigger pronunciation of a lower link or even pronunciation of multiple links if convergence so demands.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. From trace theory to copy theory 1
  4. Part I. The copy theory of movement on the PF-side
  5. The copy theory of movement 13
  6. Part II. On multiple realization of copies
  7. Double realization of verbal copies in European Portuguese emphatic affirmation 77
  8. On fusion and multiple copy spell-out 119
  9. Verb copying in Mandarin Chinese 151
  10. Dutch 's-prolepsis as a copying phenomenon 175
  11. Part III. On lower copy realization
  12. Free word order and copy theory of movement 219
  13. Variable pronunciation sites and types of wh -in-situ 249
  14. Part IV. Further issues
  15. Cyclic chain reduction 291
  16. Agreement with (the internal structure of) copies of movement 327
  17. Pronouns in a Minimalist Setting 351
  18. Index 387
The Copy Theory of Movement
This chapter is in the book The Copy Theory of Movement
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.107.03bos

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. From trace theory to copy theory 1
  4. Part I. The copy theory of movement on the PF-side
  5. The copy theory of movement 13
  6. Part II. On multiple realization of copies
  7. Double realization of verbal copies in European Portuguese emphatic affirmation 77
  8. On fusion and multiple copy spell-out 119
  9. Verb copying in Mandarin Chinese 151
  10. Dutch 's-prolepsis as a copying phenomenon 175
  11. Part III. On lower copy realization
  12. Free word order and copy theory of movement 219
  13. Variable pronunciation sites and types of wh -in-situ 249
  14. Part IV. Further issues
  15. Cyclic chain reduction 291
  16. Agreement with (the internal structure of) copies of movement 327
  17. Pronouns in a Minimalist Setting 351
  18. Index 387
Downloaded on 15.4.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/la.107.03bos/html
Scroll to top button