Kenyon Branan
Biographic Data
| ID | 830161 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Kenyon Branan |
| GIVEN NAMES | Kenyon |
| FAMILY NAME | Branan |
| SIGNATURE | BRANAN K |
| AFFILIATIONS | National University of Singapore |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3418-8016 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 9 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 22 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 9 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2018 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
No, It Is Ā-Probing for the Closest DP
Recent work (Branan and Erlewine 2022) propose an analysis of certain restrictions on Ā-extraction, and suggest that certain Ā-probes may be required to target the closest DP. Newman (2023) presents arguments against their analysis. This paper serves as a defense of Branan & Erlewine’s approach against Newman’s rejoinder
Ā-Probing for the Closest DP
We consider the typology of attested Ā-extraction asymmetries between core argument DPs and argue that an Ā-probe can be required to specifically target the closest DP. Such an Ā-probe specification is part of Aldridge's (2004, 2008) influential analysis of syntactically ergative extraction restrictions, but has not been widely adopted outside of work on ergative languages. We argue that restricted probing of this form underlies subject-only extr…
Anti-Pied-Piping
Anti-pied-piping is a widespread but understudied phenomenon where a language targets a proper subpart of the logical focus for focus morphosyntax: for example, focus particle placement or focus movement. We show that anti-pied-piping is attested in over sixty languages from over forty distinct language groups. We present a theory of focus particle syntax/semantics that involves severing the pronounced position of a focus particle and the logical…
A Command Theoretic approach to prosodic smothering
This article presents an analysis of prosodic smothering in Makonde (Bantu). Prosodic smothering is a phenomenon where certain elements require nearby elements to be phrased together with them that would otherwise be phrased apart. Prior analyses of this phenomenon must lexically specify certain elements as triggers of smothering. This article, building on previous work, derives smothering effects from a particular approach to the syntax-prosody …
Domains of ordering
This paper develops a theory of linearization in which the LCA (Kayne, The antisymmetry of syntax, MIT Press, 1994) linearizes one portion of the clause, with a secondary algorithm linearizing a second portion of the clause when the LCA-determined order of terminals would conflict with other principles of the morphosyntax. The empirical focus is the correspondence or lack thereof between scope and word order in Japanese, Tagalog, and English: for…
Licensing with Case: Evidence from Kikuyu
Locality and Antilocality: The Logic of Conflicting Requirements
This article discusses what happens when locality requirements-which favor short dependencies-come into conflict with antilocality requirements-which rule out dependencies that are too short. It is argued that in such circumstances, certain locality requirements may be minimally violated so that the antilocality requirement is satisfied. A theory along these lines is shown to derive a pervasive pattern of noniterative symmetry in A-movement-found…
Binding reconstruction and two modes of copy-chain interpretation
We present a theory for the interpretation of Ā-movement chains at LF in the copy theory of movement where the NP restrictor of a DP Ā-movement chain is interpreted in only one copy. Such a view is motivated for English by evidence from reflexive binding, building on observations in Barss 1986, and its interaction with parasitic gap licensing and weak crossover effects. Our approach offers a means for understanding the classification of Ā-movemen…
Attraction at a Distance: Ā-Movement and Case
Some languages allow extraction of possessors from only a subset of nominals. I show that a juxtaposition of two proposals about Case and Agree (made by Rackowski and Richards (2005) and Bobaljik (2008) ) correctly predicts these crosslinguistic restrictions on possessor extraction
Attraction at a Distance: Ā-Movement and Case
Some languages allow extraction of possessors from only a subset of nominals. I show that a juxtaposition of two proposals about Case and Agree (made by Rackowski and Richards (2005) and Bobaljik (2008) ) correctly predicts these crosslinguistic restrictions on possessor extraction
Ā-Probing for the Closest DP
We consider the typology of attested Ā-extraction asymmetries between core argument DPs and argue that an Ā-probe can be required to specifically target the closest DP. Such an Ā-probe specification is part of Aldridge's (2004, 2008) influential analysis of syntactically ergative extraction restrictions, but has not been widely adopted outside of work on ergative languages. We argue that restricted probing of this form underlies subject-only extr…
Locality and Antilocality: The Logic of Conflicting Requirements
This article discusses what happens when locality requirements-which favor short dependencies-come into conflict with antilocality requirements-which rule out dependencies that are too short. It is argued that in such circumstances, certain locality requirements may be minimally violated so that the antilocality requirement is satisfied. A theory along these lines is shown to derive a pervasive pattern of noniterative symmetry in A-movement-found…
Licensing with Case: Evidence from Kikuyu
Anti-Pied-Piping
Anti-pied-piping is a widespread but understudied phenomenon where a language targets a proper subpart of the logical focus for focus morphosyntax: for example, focus particle placement or focus movement. We show that anti-pied-piping is attested in over sixty languages from over forty distinct language groups. We present a theory of focus particle syntax/semantics that involves severing the pronounced position of a focus particle and the logical…
Attraction at a Distance: Ā-Movement and Case
Some languages allow extraction of possessors from only a subset of nominals. I show that a juxtaposition of two proposals about Case and Agree (made by Rackowski and Richards (2005) and Bobaljik (2008) ) correctly predicts these crosslinguistic restrictions on possessor extraction
Binding reconstruction and two modes of copy-chain interpretation
We present a theory for the interpretation of Ā-movement chains at LF in the copy theory of movement where the NP restrictor of a DP Ā-movement chain is interpreted in only one copy. Such a view is motivated for English by evidence from reflexive binding, building on observations in Barss 1986, and its interaction with parasitic gap licensing and weak crossover effects. Our approach offers a means for understanding the classification of Ā-movemen…
Domains of ordering
This paper develops a theory of linearization in which the LCA (Kayne, The antisymmetry of syntax, MIT Press, 1994) linearizes one portion of the clause, with a secondary algorithm linearizing a second portion of the clause when the LCA-determined order of terminals would conflict with other principles of the morphosyntax. The empirical focus is the correspondence or lack thereof between scope and word order in Japanese, Tagalog, and English: for…
Licensing with Case: Evidence from Kikuyu
Locality and Antilocality: The Logic of Conflicting Requirements
This article discusses what happens when locality requirements-which favor short dependencies-come into conflict with antilocality requirements-which rule out dependencies that are too short. It is argued that in such circumstances, certain locality requirements may be minimally violated so that the antilocality requirement is satisfied. A theory along these lines is shown to derive a pervasive pattern of noniterative symmetry in A-movement-found…
Anti-Pied-Piping
Anti-pied-piping is a widespread but understudied phenomenon where a language targets a proper subpart of the logical focus for focus morphosyntax: for example, focus particle placement or focus movement. We show that anti-pied-piping is attested in over sixty languages from over forty distinct language groups. We present a theory of focus particle syntax/semantics that involves severing the pronounced position of a focus particle and the logical…
A Command Theoretic approach to prosodic smothering
This article presents an analysis of prosodic smothering in Makonde (Bantu). Prosodic smothering is a phenomenon where certain elements require nearby elements to be phrased together with them that would otherwise be phrased apart. Prior analyses of this phenomenon must lexically specify certain elements as triggers of smothering. This article, building on previous work, derives smothering effects from a particular approach to the syntax-prosody …
Ā-Probing for the Closest DP
We consider the typology of attested Ā-extraction asymmetries between core argument DPs and argue that an Ā-probe can be required to specifically target the closest DP. Such an Ā-probe specification is part of Aldridge's (2004, 2008) influential analysis of syntactically ergative extraction restrictions, but has not been widely adopted outside of work on ergative languages. We argue that restricted probing of this form underlies subject-only extr…
No, It Is Ā-Probing for the Closest DP
Recent work (Branan and Erlewine 2022) propose an analysis of certain restrictions on Ā-extraction, and suggest that certain Ā-probes may be required to target the closest DP. Newman (2023) presents arguments against their analysis. This paper serves as a defense of Branan & Erlewine’s approach against Newman’s rejoinder
Linguistics (8 works) · Philosophy (8 works) · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation (8 works) · Computer Science (7 works) · Mathematics (4 works) · Natural language processing (4 works) · Natural Language Processing Techniques (3 works) · Philosophy (3 works) · Syntax (3 works) · Artificial Intelligence (2 works)