Abstract
Sentences with the verb exist and with a lexical DP in subject position show no definiteness effect. This suggests that the definiteness effect is keyed in English to the presence of expletive there. More strongly put, a definiteness effect is invariably found whenever expletive there (or a counterpart of it in other languages, whether pronounced or not) is present. This effect may in some languages be limited to the case of unstressed pronouns.
Expletive there and its counterparts originate within the associate (in a way that accounts for the expletive being there, and not then). In part, this conclusion is driven by anti-homophony. Freeze noted that English is exceptional in having expletive there in subject position. The proposal will be that this is related to English allowing preposition-stranding under A-movement.
The definiteness effect itself results from a blocking effect, probably not specific to existential sentences, that certain determiners such as the impose on the movement of expletive there from its DP-internal position up to a sentential subject position.
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© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Copular constructions, existentials and related phenomena. An introduction
- Articles
- There be- and have-sentences: Different semantics, different definiteness effects
- Notes on Expletive There
- Existential and locative constructions in Mandarin Chinese
- An interface analysis of marked copular constructions: The case of there-sentences
- Does prosody meet syntax? A case study on standard Italian cleft sentences and left peripheral focus
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Copular constructions, existentials and related phenomena. An introduction
- Articles
- There be- and have-sentences: Different semantics, different definiteness effects
- Notes on Expletive There
- Existential and locative constructions in Mandarin Chinese
- An interface analysis of marked copular constructions: The case of there-sentences
- Does prosody meet syntax? A case study on standard Italian cleft sentences and left peripheral focus