1. The Syntax of Focus Particles in German Event vs. Result Nominals
Anja Kleemann
Queen Mary, University of London

2. The Syntax / Information Structure-Interface in German DPs
syntactic structure of DPs
information structure of DPs

3. The Relation between Focus and Focus Particles
Context: Mary introduced Bill and Tom to Sue and there were no other introductions
Mary introduced Bill to Sue
Mary introduced Tom to Sue
*Mary only introduced BILL to Sue

4. To explain focus particle placement in German DPs:
Aim of the Talk
To explain focus particle placement in German DPs:
Event Nominals
Result Nominals
vs.

5. The Focus Particle Nur ‘Only’ within German DPs
sequences of focus particle and focus
[DP ... nur [AP / CP / DP focus ... ]]
[DP... focus nur ]

6. New Data – German DPs Placement of nur in event vs. result nominals
Marys
Absage
nur
des
FRÜHEN
Termins
Mary-GEN
cancellation
only
the- GEN
early
appointment- GEN
*Das
Programm
nur
des
FRÜHEN
Termins
The
agenda
only
the-GEN
early
appointment- GEN

7. The Ambiguity of Deverbal Nominals

8. The Syntax of Nur ‘Only’ in DPs

9. Particle Theory by Büring and Hartmann (2001)
non-arguments
max. projections
c-command the focus
as close as possible

10. Focus Particles don’t adjoin to DPs
*[PP P nur DP ]
*[NP N nur DP ]

11. Particle Theory on DP-internal DPs
APs
non-arg. CPs

12. Application to New Data

13. Verbal Properties of Event Nominals - Adverbs
Event Nominals may contain adverbs
a) His explanation of the accident so thoroughly (did not help him)
b) His friendly explanation of the accident so thoroughly (did not help him)
c) *His version of the accident so thorouhgly (did not help him)

14. The DP-internal VP by Fu, Roeper and Borer (2001)

15. Verbal Properties of Event Nominals – Focus Particles
*weil
Mary
den
FRÜHEN
Termin
nur
absagt as
the- ACC
early
appointment
only
cancel
Die
Absage
des
FRÜHEN
Termins
nur
the
cancellation
the- GEN
early
appointment- GEN
only

16. The VP inside the Event Nominal
Programm agenda X

17. Combining the Theories
Particle Theory
Focus Particle Placement in Event vs. Result Nominals +
DP-internal Verbal Proj.

18. Conclusions: Focus Particles within DPs
Deverbal event nominals and non-deverbal result nominals have different syntactic structures.
Focus particles are further evidence that event nominals contain a verbal projection.
Büring and Hartmann (2001)’s Particle Theory accounts for focus particle placement within DPs.

19. Thanks a lot!

20. Event Nominal Absage ‘cancellation’

21. Application to New Data

22. The Focus Particle Nur ‘Only’
Peter
gab
nur
MARY
ein
Buch
gave
only
Mary a
book
Peter
gab
Mary
nur
EIN
BUCH
gave
only a
book

23. Büring and Hartmann (2001)’s Particle Theory