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Features, Categories, and the Syntax of A-Positions investigates various aspects of the distribution of nominal arguments, and in particular the cross-linguistic variation that can be found among the Germanic languages in this domain of the syntax. The empirical topics that are discussed include variable vs. fixed argument order, the distribution of subjects with respect to adjuncts, expletive constructions, and oblique subjecthood. These and many other phenomena are analyzed within a theoretical framework which is based on the Minimalist Program. The book argues that the traditional theoretical devices accounting for the distribution of arguments in generative syntax (abstract Case, the Extended Projection Principle) should be eliminated from the grammar and that their apparent effects can be derived from the feature specifications of syntactic categories. Furthermore, it is shown that several aspects of the cross-linguistic variation found in the syntax of arguments can be related to variation in the domain of inflectional morphology.
List of contents
1. Introduction.- 1. Some Basic Theoretical Notions.- 2. The Distribution of Nominal Arguments and the Syntax of A-Positions.- 3. Morphology and the Setting of Parameters.- 4. The Germanic Languages.- 5. Outline.- 2. Features, Categories and Checking, Towards Deriving the EPP and Abstract Case.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Object Movement and Categories Towards Deriving Abstract Case.- 3. Towards Deriving the EPP.- 4. Some General Consequences.- 5. More on the EPP and Abstract Case.- 6. Pesetsky and Torreoo (2001): An Extension to CP?.- 7. An Alternative to Categorial Feature Checking: Covalent Bonding.- 8. Conclusion.- 3. Syntactic Effects of Morphological Case.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Word Order Freedom and Morphological Case.- 3. Nominal Complements of Adjectives and Case Morphology.- 4. Some Speculations on Ov/Vo Order.- 5. Summary.- 4. Subjecthood and Agreement.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Subjects and Agreement in German.- 3. On the Word Order Xp-Subject in the Germanic Languages.- 4. Summary.- 5. On Expletives.- 1. Expletives and No Arguments.- 2. Expletive-Associate Constructions.- 3. A Note on Expletive Constructions and their Relation to Other Grammatical Properties.- 4. Summary.- 6. Oblique Case and Subjecthood. Or: Why Icelandic is Different.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Oblique Case and Subjecthood: Icelandic vs. German.- 3. 'XP-Subject' in Icelandic.- 4. Expletives and Definite Subjects.- 5. On the Absence of Free Argument Order in Icelandic.- 6. Some Cross-Linguistic Issues.- 7. Summary.- 7: Conclusion.- References.- Language Index.- Name Index.
Summary
Features, Categories, and the Syntax of A-Positions investigates various aspects of the distribution of nominal arguments, and in particular the cross-linguistic variation that can be found among the Germanic languages in this domain of the syntax. The empirical topics that are discussed include variable vs. fixed argument order, the distribution of subjects with respect to adjuncts, expletive constructions, and oblique subjecthood. These and many other phenomena are analyzed within a theoretical framework which is based on the Minimalist Program. The book argues that the traditional theoretical devices accounting for the distribution of arguments in generative syntax (abstract Case, the Extended Projection Principle) should be eliminated from the grammar and that their apparent effects can be derived from the feature specifications of syntactic categories. Furthermore, it is shown that several aspects of the cross-linguistic variation found in the syntax of arguments can be related to variation in the domain of inflectional morphology.
