On animacy restrictions for the null object in Brazilian Portuguese
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Sonia M. L. Cyrino
Abstract
Brazilian Portuguese null objects present a cluster of properties that supports a DP ellipsis analysis. The elided DP has its antecedent in a parallel structure and allows strict and sloppy readings. Besides those properties, null objects in this language do not allow their antecedents to be the matrix subject, and they require that their antecedents be inanimate. In this chapter, I discuss these latter two properties and I advance an analysis, in which I assume dedicated positions for different DPs. The results suggest that the animacy requirement may be overridden by the parallelism requirement. However, the exact role that animacy has in grammar and its effects on Brazilian Portuguese null objects still awaits further investigation.
Abstract
Brazilian Portuguese null objects present a cluster of properties that supports a DP ellipsis analysis. The elided DP has its antecedent in a parallel structure and allows strict and sloppy readings. Besides those properties, null objects in this language do not allow their antecedents to be the matrix subject, and they require that their antecedents be inanimate. In this chapter, I discuss these latter two properties and I advance an analysis, in which I assume dedicated positions for different DPs. The results suggest that the animacy requirement may be overridden by the parallelism requirement. However, the exact role that animacy has in grammar and its effects on Brazilian Portuguese null objects still awaits further investigation.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Mary Esther Kropp Dakubu In Memoriam vii
- Introduction. Issues in contrastive valency studies 1
-
Part I. Argument coding
- Multiple case binding – The principled underspecification of case exponency 27
- Infinitives 83
- A labeling system for valency 109
- Non-canonical valency patterns in Basque, variation and evolution 151
-
Part II. Valency rearranging alternations
- Exploring the domain of ditransitive constructions 177
- Cognate constructions in Italian and beyond 219
- Object omission and the semantics of predicates in Italian in a comparative perspective 251
- On animacy restrictions for the null object in Brazilian Portuguese 275
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Part III. Voice and valency changing (uncoded/coded) alternations and markers
- Between Passive and Middle 297
- Valency alternations between inflection and derivation 327
- Pronominal verbs across European languages 375
- Semantic constraints on the reflexive/non-reflexive alternation of Romanian unaccusatives 407
- Circumfixed causatives in Polish against a panorama of active and non-active voice morphology 431
- Language index 471
- Subject index 473
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Mary Esther Kropp Dakubu In Memoriam vii
- Introduction. Issues in contrastive valency studies 1
-
Part I. Argument coding
- Multiple case binding – The principled underspecification of case exponency 27
- Infinitives 83
- A labeling system for valency 109
- Non-canonical valency patterns in Basque, variation and evolution 151
-
Part II. Valency rearranging alternations
- Exploring the domain of ditransitive constructions 177
- Cognate constructions in Italian and beyond 219
- Object omission and the semantics of predicates in Italian in a comparative perspective 251
- On animacy restrictions for the null object in Brazilian Portuguese 275
-
Part III. Voice and valency changing (uncoded/coded) alternations and markers
- Between Passive and Middle 297
- Valency alternations between inflection and derivation 327
- Pronominal verbs across European languages 375
- Semantic constraints on the reflexive/non-reflexive alternation of Romanian unaccusatives 407
- Circumfixed causatives in Polish against a panorama of active and non-active voice morphology 431
- Language index 471
- Subject index 473
