: 2018

Syntax: A First Encounter Marcel den Dikken Department of English Linguistics ELTE

Question Formation → SAFEty First • on top of the v–VP core of the structure of the clause, syntax first introduces a projection of the functional head I, called IP, above which an additional functional projec- tion can be erected, headed by the functional head C • the head C can be spelled out by complementisers – for English, the infinitival complementiser for, and the two finite complementisers that and if • the head of CP often remains silent, and C frequently forgoes a specifier as well – although there is one phrasal element that can be directly inserted in SpecCP: whether • the fact that C and SpecCP are often not utilised via direct insertion of material in the initial structure makes these positions useful receptacles for material that needs to undergo movement into the CP domain – up next!

Question Formation I wonder [why/when/how often] he told me the truth SAFE 10 Question Formation I wonder [why/when/how often] he told me the truth SpecCP comes in handy for phrases which, like whether, begin with wh- and introduce a question, but which are not directly inserted into SpecCP CP Spec C' C IP Ø DPi I' so-called wh-phrases he I vP -ed ti tell me the truth

Question Formation I wonder [why/when/how often] he told me the truth SAFE 10 Question Formation I wonder [why/when/how often] he told me the truth for whether, we assumed that it is born in SpecCP — it does not bind a trace lower down the tree CP Spec C' what about these other wh-elements? let us focus on how often C IP how often must clearly bind a trace Ø DPi I' he I vP -ed ti tell me the truth

Question Formation I wonder [how often] he told me the truth t SAFE 10 Question Formation I wonder [how often] he told me the truth t I think he [very often] told me the truth CP Spec C' what about these other wh-elements? let us focus on how often C IP how often must clearly bind a trace Ø DPi I' he I vP -ed ti tell me the truth

Question Formation I wonder [how often] he told me the truth t SAFE 10 Question Formation I wonder [how often] he told me the truth t I think he [very often] told me the truth CP how oftenj C' an adjunct to vP C IP Ø DPi I' he I vP -ed tj ti tell me the truth

Question Formation I wonder [what] he told me t SAFE 10 Question Formation I wonder [what] he told me t I think he told me [the truth] CP the need for a trace is of course even clearer when the wh-phrase serves as an argument of the verb Spec C' C IP Ø DPi I' he I vP -ed ti tell me the truth

Question Formation I wonder [what] he told me t SAFE 10 Question Formation I wonder [what] he told me t I think he told me [the truth] CP the Projection Principle demands that the direct object position of tell, which tell assigns the Theme θ-role to, must be occupied at all levels of syntax whatk C' Projection Principle structures are projected from the lexicon at all levels C IP Ø DPi I' he I vP -ed ti tell me tk

Question Formation I wonder [what] he told me t SAFE 10 Question Formation I wonder [what] he told me t I think he told me [the truth] CP the trace not only helps us comply with the Projection Principle, it also allows the chain (whatk, tk) to satisfy the Case Filter whatk C' C IP Ø DPi I' he I vP -ed ti tell me tk

Question Formation [what] did he tell me ? t he told me [the truth] CP SAFE 10 Question Formation [what] did he tell me ? t he told me [the truth] CP wh-questions are not always embedded under verbs like wonder: they can also occur as main clauses whatk C' C IP DPi I' he now C cannot remain empty I vP -ed ti tell me tk

Question Formation * [what] did he tell me ? t he told me [the truth] SAFE 10 Question Formation [what] did he tell me ? t he told me [the truth] I must raise to C, giving rise to ‘subject-auxiliary inversion’ — so called because only auxiliaries can undergo I-to-C CP whatk C' C IP * what told he me t? what has he told me t? what will he tell me t? DPi I' he now C cannot remain empty I vP -ed ti tell me tk

when I does not raise to C, I can merge with v+V under adjacency SAFE 10 Question Formation [what] did he tell me ? t he told me [the truth] whenever there is no finite auxiliary in the sentence, the services of the dummy auxiliary do are called upon CP whatk C' C IP * what told he me t? what has he told me t? what will he tell me t? when I does not raise to C, I can merge with v+V under adjacency DPi I' he I vP -ed ti tell me tk

Question Formation [what] did he tell me ? t he told me [the truth] CP SAFE 10 Question Formation [what] did he tell me ? t he told me [the truth] whenever there is no finite auxiliary in the sentence, the services of the dummy auxiliary do are called upon CP whatk C' C IP but when I raises to C, merger with v+V fails; I is spelled out as do+-ed DPi I' he I vP -ed ti tell me tk

Question Formation [what] did he tell me ? t he told me [the truth] CP SAFE 10 Question Formation [what] did he tell me ? t he told me [the truth] note that I adjoins to C rather than being substituted for C: C in interrogatives is not totally empty; it has the feature [Q], for ‘question’ CP whatk C' C IP In C DPi I' did [Q] he I vP we can treat [Q] as a bound morpheme and use this as the trigger for I-to-C movement tn ti tell me tk

Question Formation did he tell me the truth? SAFE 10 Question Formation did he tell me the truth? (yes,) he told me the truth for so-called yes–no questions, we can now use the same analysis CP ?? C' C IP plausibly, SpecCP is occupied by a null operator (Op) In C DPi I' did [Q] he I vP we can treat [Q] as a bound morpheme and use this as the trigger for I-to-C movement tn ti tell me the truth

Question Formation did he tell me the truth? SAFE 10 Question Formation did he tell me the truth? (yes,) he told me the truth … the silent counterpart to whether! CP Op C' C IP plausibly, SpecCP is occupied by a null operator (Op) Ik C DPi I' did [Q] he I vP tn ti tell me the truth

plausibly, SpecCP is occupied by a null operator (Op) SAFE 10 Question Formation • we can use null operators profitably in a range of other constructions as well, including relative clauses that don’t have an overt wh-operator — the man (that) she kissed CP Op C' C IP plausibly, SpecCP is occupied by a null operator (Op) Ik C DPi I' did [Q] he I vP tn ti tell me the truth

SAFE Deposits → our SAFE Deposit Box is ready for an update • the specifier position of CP is not just the place for direct insertion of whether, but also serves as the landing-site for movement of wh-phrases – phrases starting with wh- and introducing constituent questions or relative clauses • wh-phrases that serve as arguments or modifiers inside the clause must leave a trace behind when moving to SpecCP in order to preserve their connection with their θ-role assigner or modifiee • the head of CP can also serve as the landing-site for movement – this time of the finite auxiliaries that invert with the subject in the formation of root questions • the C-head of questions is occupied by the morpheme [Q], whose bound nature is the trigger for I-to-C mov’t • in root yes/no-questions, SpecCP hosts a null operator

Syntax: A First Encounter Marcel den Dikken Department of English Linguistics ELTE

: 2018