Spurious topic drop in Swedish
-
Christer Platzack
Abstract
Like English, Swedish is a language with obligatory subjects in finite clauses. One of the exceptions to the rule that the subject must be pronounced is found when the subject is Topic dropped from sentence initial position, resulting in a V1 declarative with no visible subject. Since Topic drop in Swedish also involves dropping from first position of objects and complements of prepositions, it cannot be analyzed as a subject property per se. In this paper I will argue that null subjects may be due to a specific kind of Topic drop, here called spurious Topic drop, since deletion does not effect the left most element of the clause. As I will show, there are a number of instances in Swedish that can be subsumed under the rubric spurious Topic drop. In all cases, a subject is missing despite the fact that it is not in the leftmost position. As will be shown, spurious Topic drop is also found in relative clauses and in subject-first main clauses.
Abstract
Like English, Swedish is a language with obligatory subjects in finite clauses. One of the exceptions to the rule that the subject must be pronounced is found when the subject is Topic dropped from sentence initial position, resulting in a V1 declarative with no visible subject. Since Topic drop in Swedish also involves dropping from first position of objects and complements of prepositions, it cannot be analyzed as a subject property per se. In this paper I will argue that null subjects may be due to a specific kind of Topic drop, here called spurious Topic drop, since deletion does not effect the left most element of the clause. As I will show, there are a number of instances in Swedish that can be subsumed under the rubric spurious Topic drop. In all cases, a subject is missing despite the fact that it is not in the leftmost position. As will be shown, spurious Topic drop is also found in relative clauses and in subject-first main clauses.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Scandinavian
- On the syntax of the accusative/dative alternation in spatial PPs in Norwegian dative dialects 9
- Spurious topic drop in Swedish 27
-
Germanic sociolinguistics
- “The voice from below” 53
- Gender maintenance and loss in Totenmålet, English, and other major Germanic varieties 77
-
French
- Non-finite adjuncts in French 111
- Topics and the left periphery 131
-
Language change
- The developmental logic of the analytic past in German and Polish 175
- The diachrony of pronouns and demonstratives 195
-
Lesser-studied languages
- Origins of metathesis in Batsbi 221
- Indefinitely definite expressions 239
-
Language acquisition
- Doing diachrony 259
- The acquisition of linguistic variation 275
-
Language evolution
- The evolution of language 301
- Language as technology 327
- Index 359
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Scandinavian
- On the syntax of the accusative/dative alternation in spatial PPs in Norwegian dative dialects 9
- Spurious topic drop in Swedish 27
-
Germanic sociolinguistics
- “The voice from below” 53
- Gender maintenance and loss in Totenmålet, English, and other major Germanic varieties 77
-
French
- Non-finite adjuncts in French 111
- Topics and the left periphery 131
-
Language change
- The developmental logic of the analytic past in German and Polish 175
- The diachrony of pronouns and demonstratives 195
-
Lesser-studied languages
- Origins of metathesis in Batsbi 221
- Indefinitely definite expressions 239
-
Language acquisition
- Doing diachrony 259
- The acquisition of linguistic variation 275
-
Language evolution
- The evolution of language 301
- Language as technology 327
- Index 359
