Volume 33, Issue 2 -

This article aims to argue for the Agree-less plus single cycle approach, advocated recently by Hornstein (2009), according to which long-distance dependency is captured by regular movement plus the mechanism of which copy is pronounced. Based upon Lasnik’s (1999) observation that the “raising to object” involved in the ECM construction is optional, it is demonstrated that this can be best captured under this approach by assuming (i) that either the top (in the higher Spec-VP) or the bottom copy (in the embedded Spec-TP) of the A-chain involved is pronounceable and (ii) that the activation for LF interpretation such as binding and scope correlates with which copy is pronounced. It is further demonstrated that the same mechanism of pronunciation and LF interpretation also captures similar properties found in the Japanese ECM construction. The article also addresses the question how it is possible for the top copy of an A-chain to be active for LF interpretation even though the chain involves string-vacuous movement, following Abe and Hornstein’s (2012) mechanism of chain production. It is demonstrated that the revised mechanism of pronunciation and LF interpretation is well supported by the phenomenon of nominative-genitive conversion in Japanese.

The paper aims at providing a CVCV analysis of the Icelandic syllabification phenomena and the distribution of vocalic quantity. Two syllabification algorithms are reported to exist in Icelandic: lexical and post-lexical (Árnason 1998, 2011). The article will focus on the post-lexical algorithm, which determines vowel length in derivatives with class 2 suffixation, compounds, and across word boundaries. A modified model of CVCV will be argued for, which combines the insights from Scheer’s (2004, 2012) and Cyran’s (2003, 2010) model. It will be proposed that phonological computation applies only once to the whole string (preferably the whole sentence) and that the activity of the interface boils down to representational intervention (in accordance with Scheerian Direct Interface). It will be proposed that manipulation of Final Empty Nuclei (at least in the form of distributing parametric government) is a possible interface operation, as assumed in earlier CVCV (Scheer 2004). The complex pattern of two syllabification algorithms in Icelandic arises via an intricate interplay of sonority profiles of consonants and the needs of intervening empty nuclei (some of which are parametrically governed, while some others are not).

I argue for a binding theory that posits binding and blocking conditions as underived primitives as opposed to a binding theory that derives blocking conditions from binding conditions via an independent scale of dependency (Safir 2004a, 2004b). The latter work is based on English and other Germanic languages, whereas the proposed binding theory bears on Nuosu (Tibeto-Burman: China), which exhibits a speech logophor and a long-distance reflexive, on Mupun (Afro-Asiatic: Nigeria) and on Chinese.