Chapter 2. Null subjects and finite control in Brazilian Portuguese
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Marcelo Ferreira
Abstract
The paper discusses the restricted distribution and interpretation of “referential” null subjects in Brazilian Portuguese (BP). It shows that referential null subjects in BP behave like obligatorily controlled PRO and argues, following Hornstein (1999, 2001), that they should be analyzed as traces (deleted copies) of A-movement. The proposal is that with the weakening of the verbal inflection in BP, finite Ts became ambiguous in bearing a complete or an incomplete set of φ-features. When the incomplete version is selected in an embedded clause, T is not able to value the Case of the DP in its Spec, which then remains active and may undergo further A-movement. If the movement lands in a θ-position, we obtain a finite control construction; if the landing site is not a θ-position, we obtain a hyper-raising construction, instead.
Abstract
The paper discusses the restricted distribution and interpretation of “referential” null subjects in Brazilian Portuguese (BP). It shows that referential null subjects in BP behave like obligatorily controlled PRO and argues, following Hornstein (1999, 2001), that they should be analyzed as traces (deleted copies) of A-movement. The proposal is that with the weakening of the verbal inflection in BP, finite Ts became ambiguous in bearing a complete or an incomplete set of φ-features. When the incomplete version is selected in an embedded clause, T is not able to value the Case of the DP in its Spec, which then remains active and may undergo further A-movement. If the movement lands in a θ-position, we obtain a finite control construction; if the landing site is not a θ-position, we obtain a hyper-raising construction, instead.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
-
Introduction
- Chapter 1. Brazilian Portuguese under minimalist lenses 3
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Part I. Movement and empty category issues
- Chapter 2. Null subjects and finite control in Brazilian Portuguese 17
- Chapter 3. Movement and resumption in null possessor constructions in Brazilian Portuguese 51
- Chapter 4. Patterns of extraction out of factive Islands in Brazilian Portuguese 69
- Chapter 5. A Uniform raising analysis for standard and nonstandard relative clauses in Brazilian Portuguese 93
- Chapter 6. Stress shift as a diagnostics for identifying empty categories in Brazilian Portuguese 121
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Part II. Issues on the syntax-morphology interface
- Chapter 7. The comitative-copular basis of possessive-existential constructions in Brazilian Portuguese 139
- Chapter 8. Topicalization of verbal projections in Brazilian Portuguese 161
- Chapter 9. Preposition contraction and morphological sideward movement in Brazilian Portuguese 191
- Chapter 10. Lack of morphological identity and ellipsis resolution in Brazilian Portuguese 215
- Author index 237
- Language index 239
- Subject index 241
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
-
Introduction
- Chapter 1. Brazilian Portuguese under minimalist lenses 3
-
Part I. Movement and empty category issues
- Chapter 2. Null subjects and finite control in Brazilian Portuguese 17
- Chapter 3. Movement and resumption in null possessor constructions in Brazilian Portuguese 51
- Chapter 4. Patterns of extraction out of factive Islands in Brazilian Portuguese 69
- Chapter 5. A Uniform raising analysis for standard and nonstandard relative clauses in Brazilian Portuguese 93
- Chapter 6. Stress shift as a diagnostics for identifying empty categories in Brazilian Portuguese 121
-
Part II. Issues on the syntax-morphology interface
- Chapter 7. The comitative-copular basis of possessive-existential constructions in Brazilian Portuguese 139
- Chapter 8. Topicalization of verbal projections in Brazilian Portuguese 161
- Chapter 9. Preposition contraction and morphological sideward movement in Brazilian Portuguese 191
- Chapter 10. Lack of morphological identity and ellipsis resolution in Brazilian Portuguese 215
- Author index 237
- Language index 239
- Subject index 241
