The That-Trace Effect-A Surface or a Deep Island Phenomenon? Evidence from Resumption and Prolepsis in Igbo

Dados Bibliográficos

ID5901489
AutoresMary Amaechi (0000-0002-8438-3410, University of Ilorin, autor correspondente), Dieter Georgi (0000-0003-2312-6661, University of Potsdam, autor correspondente)
Ano2024
Volume9
Fascículo10
Páginas324
Data de publicação2024-10-09
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoLanguages (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2226-471X • E-ISSN: 2226-471X
EditoraMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/languages9100324
OpenAlexW4403249179
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas41

In many languages, a subject/non-subject Ā-extraction asymmetry can be observed: While non-subject extraction is unproblematic, long extraction of the subject requires repair strategies. This phenomenon is known as the that-trace effect. Two broad types of approaches to this effect have been proposed in the literature: (a) structural accounts that prohibit subject extraction in the syntax; (b) surface-oriented PF accounts according to which nothing blocks long subject movement in the syntax, but a surface filter prohibits the output string where a trace follows the complementizer. In this paper, we argue for a syntactic cause of the effect in Igbo (Benue-Congo, Nigeria). The empirical evidence centers around the distribution of resumptive pronouns in the language. We show that Igbo has all the ingredients required for a PF approach to the that-trace effect (viz., long Ā-movement and trace spell-out); nevertheless, it does not apply them to enable long subject extraction but rather resorts to prolepsis (among other strategies). Further evidence against a PF account comes from the impossibility of short subject extraction. Finally, we provide evidence from subextraction from subjects for an antilocality component underlying the subject extraction restriction in Igbo

Epistemology · Geography · Igbo · Linguistics · Phenomenon · History · Language Development and Disorders · Philosophy · Phonetics and Phonology Research · Psychology · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation