Ascending and Descending VPs in English

Dados Bibliográficos

ID4900972
AutoresVikki Janke (0000-0003-1149-6999, English Language and Linguistics, School of European Culture and Languages, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NF, United Kingdom [email protected]), Ad Neeleman (0000-0002-0850-9122, University College London, Department of Linguistics, Chandler House, 2 Wakefield Street, London, WC1N 1PF, United Kingdom [email protected])
Ano2012
Volume43
Fascículo2
Páginas151-190
Data de publicação2012-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoLinguistic Inquiry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0024-3892 • E-ISSN: 1530-9150
EditoraThe MIT Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1162/ling_a_00082
OpenAlexW2096825919
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas19
Referências citadas36

We argue that English allows both rightward-descending VP shell structures and more traditional rightward-ascending VPs. The choice between these depends on case theory and economy. Case theory triggers VP shell formation whenever the verb is merged with a DP object after it has been merged with some other category. The reason is that VP shell formation allows verb and object to surface in adjacent positions, a prerequisite for case licensing in English. Economy has the effect that in all other circumstances, VP shell formation is blocked. Our argument is based on a range of intricate data, many of which involve the distribution of object-oriented floating quantifiers. We end with a discussion of the binding data that are often taken to support a uniformly descending structure-incorrectly, in our view

Argument (complex analysis · Linguistics · Natural language processing · Object (grammar · Shell (structure · Verb · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Engineering · Language and cultural evolution · Mathematics · Natural Language Processing Techniques · Philosophy · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation