A constraint on remnant movement
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Tim Hunter
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to assess the empirical fit of a constraint on remnant movement that is derived as a consequence of a certain reformulation of the mechanisms underlying syntactic movement. The constraint arises from the similarity between remnant movement configurations, on the one hand, and configurations of the sort that produce “freezing effects” on the other; the reformulated system disallows the latter, and imposes a condition on the former that appears quite restrictive. I show here, however, that a large portion of the uses of remnant movement in the literature work within the bounds predicted by this unusual constraint, including analyses of data concerning VP-fronting, German “incomplete category fronting”, verb-second, and SOV and VSO word orders.
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to assess the empirical fit of a constraint on remnant movement that is derived as a consequence of a certain reformulation of the mechanisms underlying syntactic movement. The constraint arises from the similarity between remnant movement configurations, on the one hand, and configurations of the sort that produce “freezing effects” on the other; the reformulated system disallows the latter, and imposes a condition on the former that appears quite restrictive. I show here, however, that a large portion of the uses of remnant movement in the literature work within the bounds predicted by this unusual constraint, including analyses of data concerning VP-fronting, German “incomplete category fronting”, verb-second, and SOV and VSO word orders.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Interfaces in a biolinguistic perspective 1
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Part I. Syntax, semantics
- Single cycle syntax and a constraint on quantifier lowering 13
- A constraint on remnant movement 31
- Language and conceptual reanalysis 57
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Part II. Features and interfaces
- Decomposing force 89
- Function without content 117
- The association of sound with meaning 141
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Part III. Phonology, syntax
- Towards a bottom-up approach to phonological typology 169
- The emergence of phonological forms 193
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Part IV. Language development
- Non-native acquisition and language design 217
- Interface ingredients of dialect design 239
-
Part V. Experimental studies
- What sign languages show 265
- Indeterminacy and coercion effects 277
- Computation with doubling constituents 303
- Concealed reference-set computation 339
- Index 363
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Interfaces in a biolinguistic perspective 1
-
Part I. Syntax, semantics
- Single cycle syntax and a constraint on quantifier lowering 13
- A constraint on remnant movement 31
- Language and conceptual reanalysis 57
-
Part II. Features and interfaces
- Decomposing force 89
- Function without content 117
- The association of sound with meaning 141
-
Part III. Phonology, syntax
- Towards a bottom-up approach to phonological typology 169
- The emergence of phonological forms 193
-
Part IV. Language development
- Non-native acquisition and language design 217
- Interface ingredients of dialect design 239
-
Part V. Experimental studies
- What sign languages show 265
- Indeterminacy and coercion effects 277
- Computation with doubling constituents 303
- Concealed reference-set computation 339
- Index 363
