1. Lecture 10 Krisztina Szécsényi
Syntax
Lecture 10
Krisztina Szécsényi

2. The IP
Subject + predicate: a full proposition. Different operations carried out in a sentence: operator field. Constituents preceding the subject (=the canonical subject position, Spec,IP): the sentence is bigger than the IP.

3. Constituents above the IP
Examples: Should Peter visit Mary? Subject-Auxiliary Inversion (SAI) Who should Peter visit? What positions do these constituents occupy? Question interpretation?

4. Questions vs. statements
Complementizers (functional prepositions): that, if, for (sy TO do sg) I know [that you like chocolate]. I wonder [if you like chocolate]. C-head: determines the force of the sentence (indicative vs. interrogative interpretation).

5. CPs and questions
The constituent on top the IP: CP (taking an IP as a complement) Should1 Peter t1 invite Mary? Position of should: a head position → C Should undergoes I-to-C movement Who should Peter invite? Position of who: a phrase position → Spec,CP The wh-word undergoes wh-movement.

6. Exam practice What is the transformational equivalent of SAI?
Subject-Auxiliary Inversion
I-to-C movement
Movement to Spec,CP
Wh-movement

7. Exam practice
Explain why the following structures are ungrammatical (15):
*I think if Mary likes chocolate.
*Peter what likes?
Draw a tree for the following sentence: (10)
What can we do?