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Computation with doubling constituents

Pronouns and antecedents in phase theory
  • Sandiway Fong and Jason Ginsburg
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Towards a Biolinguistic Understanding of Grammar
This chapter is in the book Towards a Biolinguistic Understanding of Grammar

Abstract

In the biolinguistics program, syntax has access to only limited and minimal operations such as Merge (and Move) plus local (to Phase) probe-goal, Chomsky (2000, 2001). Under this blueprint, the challenge for implementation is twofold: (1) to show that such a system operating locally can systematically derive complex facts, and (2) that computation, i.e. the selection of the appropriate operation is locally (and perhaps globally) efficient. To this end, available mechanisms may be prioritized to create an unambiguous instruction stream, e.g. Merge over Move. In this paper, we develop a computationally verified implementation of classic Binding Theory facts, including pronoun and anaphor asymmetries for mono- and multi-clausal sentences, possessive DPs, and picture DPs. We take as our starting point Chomsky’s probe-goal system plus Kayne’s (2002) doubling constituent proposal for pronoun-antecedent coreference relations. Within this framework, maintaining Phase locality between probe and goal forces independent licensing of an r-expression from its pronominal component via an operation of Last Resort theta Merge. We maintain that this Last Resort variant of Merge maintains the computational efficiency of the probe-goal system in that it operates precisely at the limit of probe-goal search domain and it does not introduce any additional choice points into the instruction stream.

Abstract

In the biolinguistics program, syntax has access to only limited and minimal operations such as Merge (and Move) plus local (to Phase) probe-goal, Chomsky (2000, 2001). Under this blueprint, the challenge for implementation is twofold: (1) to show that such a system operating locally can systematically derive complex facts, and (2) that computation, i.e. the selection of the appropriate operation is locally (and perhaps globally) efficient. To this end, available mechanisms may be prioritized to create an unambiguous instruction stream, e.g. Merge over Move. In this paper, we develop a computationally verified implementation of classic Binding Theory facts, including pronoun and anaphor asymmetries for mono- and multi-clausal sentences, possessive DPs, and picture DPs. We take as our starting point Chomsky’s probe-goal system plus Kayne’s (2002) doubling constituent proposal for pronoun-antecedent coreference relations. Within this framework, maintaining Phase locality between probe and goal forces independent licensing of an r-expression from its pronominal component via an operation of Last Resort theta Merge. We maintain that this Last Resort variant of Merge maintains the computational efficiency of the probe-goal system in that it operates precisely at the limit of probe-goal search domain and it does not introduce any additional choice points into the instruction stream.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Interfaces in a biolinguistic perspective 1
  4. Part I. Syntax, semantics
  5. Single cycle syntax and a constraint on quantifier lowering 13
  6. A constraint on remnant movement 31
  7. Language and conceptual reanalysis 57
  8. Part II. Features and interfaces
  9. Decomposing force 89
  10. Function without content 117
  11. The association of sound with meaning 141
  12. Part III. Phonology, syntax
  13. Towards a bottom-up approach to phonological typology 169
  14. The emergence of phonological forms 193
  15. Part IV. Language development
  16. Non-native acquisition and language design 217
  17. Interface ingredients of dialect design 239
  18. Part V. Experimental studies
  19. What sign languages show 265
  20. Indeterminacy and coercion effects 277
  21. Computation with doubling constituents 303
  22. Concealed reference-set computation 339
  23. Index 363
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.194.14fon

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Interfaces in a biolinguistic perspective 1
  4. Part I. Syntax, semantics
  5. Single cycle syntax and a constraint on quantifier lowering 13
  6. A constraint on remnant movement 31
  7. Language and conceptual reanalysis 57
  8. Part II. Features and interfaces
  9. Decomposing force 89
  10. Function without content 117
  11. The association of sound with meaning 141
  12. Part III. Phonology, syntax
  13. Towards a bottom-up approach to phonological typology 169
  14. The emergence of phonological forms 193
  15. Part IV. Language development
  16. Non-native acquisition and language design 217
  17. Interface ingredients of dialect design 239
  18. Part V. Experimental studies
  19. What sign languages show 265
  20. Indeterminacy and coercion effects 277
  21. Computation with doubling constituents 303
  22. Concealed reference-set computation 339
  23. Index 363
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