On certain differences between noun phrases and clauses
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Naoki Fukui
Abstract
Along with the noted similarities that have prompted much important study in the development of the theory of phrase structure and movement, nouns and verbs (and their projections) exhibit remarkable differences. These differences have often been neglected or otherwise discredited in favor of the similarities that have been a target for novel proposals regarding the internal structures of noun phrases and clauses. This paper tries to pin down the locus of the differences, and identifies the fundamental difference between noun phrases and clauses as the fact that noun phrases (nominal expressions) have a singlelayered internal structure having a single phase and are completed (or “closed”) in terms of licensing of internal elements, whereas clauses have a double-layered internal structure with two internal phases one of which (vP) is not completed (or “open”) in the sense that outside probes (namely, C and C-T) play a role in determining the inner workings of vP. The paper argues in a preliminary form that from this fundamental difference (which itself seems to be rooted in considerations of the C-I interface, i.e., clauses are propositions while nominal expressions are typically arguments), various syntactic differences between the two classes of categories, particularly those with respect to A-movement and A’-movement, naturally follow.
Abstract
Along with the noted similarities that have prompted much important study in the development of the theory of phrase structure and movement, nouns and verbs (and their projections) exhibit remarkable differences. These differences have often been neglected or otherwise discredited in favor of the similarities that have been a target for novel proposals regarding the internal structures of noun phrases and clauses. This paper tries to pin down the locus of the differences, and identifies the fundamental difference between noun phrases and clauses as the fact that noun phrases (nominal expressions) have a singlelayered internal structure having a single phase and are completed (or “closed”) in terms of licensing of internal elements, whereas clauses have a double-layered internal structure with two internal phases one of which (vP) is not completed (or “open”) in the sense that outside probes (namely, C and C-T) play a role in determining the inner workings of vP. The paper argues in a preliminary form that from this fundamental difference (which itself seems to be rooted in considerations of the C-I interface, i.e., clauses are propositions while nominal expressions are typically arguments), various syntactic differences between the two classes of categories, particularly those with respect to A-movement and A’-movement, naturally follow.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- The editors ix
- Introduction xi
- Determiners and definiteness: Functional semantics and structural differentiation 1
- Articles, definite and indefinite 27
- Typological correlations in nominal determination in Romance 45
- A stranger in the house: The French article de 65
- Determination in endocentric and exocentric languages: With evidence primarily from Danish and Italian 79
- Bare predicate nominals in Romance languages 101
- Definiteness effect and the role of the coda in existential constructions 131
- Determination of N2 modifiers in Spanish nominal syntagmatic compounds 163
- Reference to individuals, person, and the variety of mapping parameters 189
- English th - forms 213
- Stating the case for þ - root and hw - root determiners 233
- On certain differences between noun phrases and clauses 265
- Determination, nominalisation and conceptual processing 287
- The semantics and pragmatics of the possessive determiner 309
- Reference, determiners and descriptive content 337
- Index 365
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- The editors ix
- Introduction xi
- Determiners and definiteness: Functional semantics and structural differentiation 1
- Articles, definite and indefinite 27
- Typological correlations in nominal determination in Romance 45
- A stranger in the house: The French article de 65
- Determination in endocentric and exocentric languages: With evidence primarily from Danish and Italian 79
- Bare predicate nominals in Romance languages 101
- Definiteness effect and the role of the coda in existential constructions 131
- Determination of N2 modifiers in Spanish nominal syntagmatic compounds 163
- Reference to individuals, person, and the variety of mapping parameters 189
- English th - forms 213
- Stating the case for þ - root and hw - root determiners 233
- On certain differences between noun phrases and clauses 265
- Determination, nominalisation and conceptual processing 287
- The semantics and pragmatics of the possessive determiner 309
- Reference, determiners and descriptive content 337
- Index 365
