Binding

This is easy

Let’s be Minimalists!!

Keep it simple!!

Keep it EASY

Phrases have heads

Some heads ARE phrases

Or some phrases are heads

Verb phrase and noun phrase

Is it a DetPhrase?

What do you think?

Det P with Det head?

Or this?

NP with N head?

Det P with Det head?

NP with N head?

You don’t care?

• Neither • Do • I

• Just make sure your phrases have heads• And have fun playing with it

Maybe a determiner is a bit like a head

But N is the real head?

Who cares?

Just make sure your phrases HAVE heads!

Phrases have heads

You prefer DetP?

No problem – but PHRASES have heads!!

Phrases have heads

How about this?

Sentence is a Verb Phrase

The verb is the head

VP has a head

NP has a head

Taro is both phrase and head

Flat sentence structure

Usually like this

The subject is “higher up”

Sentence is a special Verb Phrase

Phrases have heads

Phrases have heads!!!!!!

PHRASES HAVE HEADS!!!!!!!!!!!

Forget about IP or TP

Look at this fantastic Minimalism!

Let’s keep it simple!

NOT like this!

Ancient astronomy

Minimalism

Keep it simple

But why is the subject “higher”?

Why not this!

It’s simpler

Taro loves himself

This is grammatical

“himself” refers to Taro

No problem

Taro comes before himself

And it’s “higher up”

Maybe we need this structure

Maybe

Subjects are “higher” than objects

But this doesn’t work

him could refer to another male person

But it cannot refer to Taro

So him can be Ichiro or Ken, but NOT Taro

• Himself• Herself• Itself• Themselves• Ourselves

• These expressions look for an antecedent that is structurally close

• Antecedent:• A word or expression that (usually) comes

before and gives its meaning to another word

• Postcedent example:• When he has finished his homework, I’ll speak

to Taro.

Taro is structurally close enough

Taro thinks that Hanako loves him

Phrases have HEADS!

This is OK

Taro is outside the complement sentence

him can be Taro OR some other male person

“Taro thinks that Hanako loves himself” is no good

• Taro thinks that Hanako loves himself.• No good• himself needs a structurally close antecedent.• Taro thinks that Hanako loves him.• This is OK• Taro is not too close to him.

We nominated ourselves

This is OK

This is no good

himself needs a structurally close antecedent

Hanako cannot match himself

Unless Hanako is actually male!

OK, so how about this?

Taro wants to improve himself

No problem

Taro is close enough to himself

The verb “improve” is untensed

“to improve himself” is an infinitival clause

Notice that Taro is the subject of wants

Taro is the wanter

But Taro ALSO seems to be the improver

It’s like Taro is the subject of two clauses

Taro is the logical subject of the [-tense clause]

What about this?

Look what happens here

Hanako is the object of wants

And Hanako is the logical subject ofthe [-tense clause]

Now it’s him, not himself

“Taro wants Hanako to like himself”A bit strange

Hanako blocks the reference for himself

• Taro wants Hanako to like herself• That’s OK• Hanako is close enough to herself

How about this?

Seems fine

her doesn’t block himself from matching He

This seems OK

him can match He

“He wants her to see a picture of himself” Seems a little strange

Logical subject seems wrong

her is the logical subject of [-tense clause]

• He wants her to see a picture of him• ??He/x wants her to see a picture of himself

• ?? I want you to see a picture of myself• I want you to see a picture of me

I want you to see a picture of yourself

yourself goes with the logical subject

This one’s no good

This one’s good

The logical subject you is too close to you in the picture NP

Seems like you is the subject of [-tense clause]

Why?

Did it start off there and move?

Or is it to do with the verb want?

Maybe it’s the information in want?

Maybe it’s NOT all about structure

Or maybe there is structure IN words

Questions

• I bought it (VP) or sentence

I is both head and phrase

It is both head and phrase

Sentence is a kind of VP

• the book (NP)• the book (DP)• loves himself (VP)

Loves himself

• the large cup on the table (NP)• the large cup on the table (DP)

The large cup on the table (NP)

The large cup on the table (DP)

Is it NP?

Or DP?

I don’t care

Maybe you’re wondering …

Why do I keep saying I don’t care?

It’s because I don’t care

But phrases have heads!!!!!!

Phrases have heads!!!!

• the three blind mice (NP)• the three blind mice (DP)• the three blind mice (DP)

• Either is OK as long as your phrases have heads!!

• on the floor (PP)• Prepositional Phrase• Preposition is the head

PP has P head!!!

PHRASES have heads!!!!

• walked to the store (VP)• behind the counter (PP)• She saw him. (VP – sentence)• kicked it (VP)

walked to the store (VP)

Should be the NOT three

The store can be DP if you prefer

I don’t care

She saw him (VP – sentence)

Main points

• Phrases have heads• Phrases have heads• Phrases have heads• Phrases have heads• Phrases have heads• Phrases have heads

• Some phrases ARE heads• Some heads ARE phrases

• A sentence is a kind of VP• The verb is the head of the sentence

Unless you prefer this

Ancient astronomy