Week 12b. LFWeek 12b. LF

CAS LX 522CAS LX 522Syntax ISyntax I

A word about A word about interpretationinterpretation

Let’s think for a moment about what Let’s think for a moment about what a a whwh-question means:-question means:

Who did Pat meet?Who did Pat meet?[[CPCP [ [DPDP who] who]ii I Ijj+C [+C [IPIP Pat meet Pat meet ttii]]]]

Something like (a ‘logical form’):Something like (a ‘logical form’):Tell me an Tell me an xx such that such that Pat met xPat met x is is true.true.

Pronouncing & Pronouncing & interpretinginterpreting

There are two things we need to do with There are two things we need to do with the lexical items we assemble on the the lexical items we assemble on the workbench:workbench: Pronounce the sentencePronounce the sentence Interpret the sentenceInterpret the sentence

We’ve mainly been concentrating on the We’ve mainly been concentrating on the pronunciation part (getting the words into pronunciation part (getting the words into the order we hear them), but the structure the order we hear them), but the structure is also assumed to be the basis for is also assumed to be the basis for interpreting the sentence as well.interpreting the sentence as well.

Our model of grammarOur model of grammar Here again is the little picture of our model of Here again is the little picture of our model of

grammar. The structure we end up with is used both grammar. The structure we end up with is used both to express the logical relations between participants to express the logical relations between participants and to pronounce the structure.and to pronounce the structure. (And of course it has to be that way, since how a sentence (And of course it has to be that way, since how a sentence

sounds is tied to what it means).sounds is tied to what it means).

Lexicon

Workbench

Merge, Adjoin,Copy/Move

pronounce

interpret

A word about A word about interpretationinterpretation

Who did Pat meet?Who did Pat meet?[[CPCP [ [DPDP who] who]ii I Ijj+C [+C [IPIP Pat meet Pat meet ttii]]]]Tell me a (person) Tell me a (person) xx such that such that Pat met xPat met x..

If we need to get to a logical structure like If we need to get to a logical structure like Tell me a (person) x such that Pat met x is Tell me a (person) x such that Pat met x is truetrue, then it may well be that , then it may well be that this is what wh-this is what wh-movement is formovement is for. The (original case-checked) . The (original case-checked) trace serves as the trace serves as the xx variable, the moved variable, the moved whwh--phrase sets the domain.phrase sets the domain.

Suppose that moving a Suppose that moving a whwh-phrase (leaving a -phrase (leaving a case-checked trace) is necessary for case-checked trace) is necessary for interpretation as a interpretation as a whwh-question.-question.

WhWh-movement and -movement and interpretationinterpretation

Who bought what?Who bought what? Tell me a (person) Tell me a (person) xx and tell me a (thing) and tell me a (thing) yy

such that such that xx bought bought yy..

Who gave what to whom?Who gave what to whom? Tell me a (person) Tell me a (person) xx and tell me a (thing) and tell me a (thing) yy

and tell me a (person) and tell me a (person) zzsuch that such that xx gave gave yy to to zz..

How do we interpret those other How do we interpret those other whwh--words?words?

The The whwh-typology-typology

English:English: One One whwh-phrase moves to the -phrase moves to the front.front. What did Bill give to whom?What did Bill give to whom?

Japanese:Japanese: No No whwh-words move to the front.-words move to the front. Taroo-ga dare-ni nani-o ageta no?Taroo-ga dare-ni nani-o ageta no?

T-nom who-to what-acc gave QT-nom who-to what-acc gave Q‘What did Taroo give to whom?’‘What did Taroo give to whom?’

Bulgarian: Bulgarian: All All whwh-words move to the front.-words move to the front. Kakvo na kogo Ivan dade?Kakvo na kogo Ivan dade?

what to whom Ivan gavewhat to whom Ivan gave‘What did Ivan give to whom?’‘What did Ivan give to whom?’

The The whwh-typology-typology Yet in all of these languages, the Yet in all of these languages, the meaningmeaning

of of What did Bill give to whom? What did Bill give to whom? is the is the same…same…

Tell me a (thing) Tell me a (thing) xx and tell me a (person) and tell me a (person) yysuch that Bill gave such that Bill gave xx to to yy..

So, if the ‘tell me an So, if the ‘tell me an xx…such that……such that…xx…’ …’ meaning arises from meaning arises from whwh-movement (and, -movement (and, in fact, we can see the in fact, we can see the whwh-movement in -movement in Bulgarian), it stands to reason that even Bulgarian), it stands to reason that even in English and Japanese there is in English and Japanese there is whwh--movement for each movement for each whwh-word—we just -word—we just can’t always can’t always hearhear it. it.

¿Qué?¿Qué? WhWh-movement…-movement…

that you can’t hear…that you can’t hear…

The next topic (quantifiers) will The next topic (quantifiers) will give us pretty good evidence give us pretty good evidence that there is such a thing as that there is such a thing as “movement you can’t hear.” “movement you can’t hear.” Adopting it Adopting it here here allows for a allows for a uniform view of meaning and uniform view of meaning and structure across languages, structure across languages, even in the face of the even in the face of the (superficial) differences in (superficial) differences in whwh--movement behavior. So, let’s movement behavior. So, let’s provisionally accept it and see provisionally accept it and see where it leads.where it leads.

DerivationsDerivations The structures are built in The structures are built in stepssteps, Merging , Merging

things together, Adjoining things to other things together, Adjoining things to other things, “Moving” (copying and Merging) things, “Moving” (copying and Merging) things from within things. Some things things from within things. Some things happen before other things.happen before other things.

LFmove firstwh-word

move secondwh-word

DerivationsDerivations The last step, prior to interpretation, The last step, prior to interpretation,

goes by the name LF (stands for “Logical goes by the name LF (stands for “Logical Form”). At the LF structure, all of the Form”). At the LF structure, all of the movements have been accomplished and movements have been accomplished and its ready to be interpreted.its ready to be interpreted.

LFmove firstwh-word

move secondwh-word

SpelloutSpellout On this view, languages can differ on On this view, languages can differ on

which step of the derivation they focus which step of the derivation they focus on for interpretation. The point in the on for interpretation. The point in the derivation that a language focuses on is derivation that a language focuses on is the point of the point of SpelloutSpellout..

LFmove firstwh-word

move secondwh-word

SpelloutSpellout Bulgarian: Bulgarian: All All whwh-words move to the front.-words move to the front.

Kakvo na kogo Ivan dade?Kakvo na kogo Ivan dade?what to whom Ivan gavewhat to whom Ivan gave‘What did Ivan give to whom?’‘What did Ivan give to whom?’

So, in Bulgarian, Spellout is relatively late.So, in Bulgarian, Spellout is relatively late.

LFmove firstwh-word

move secondwh-word

Bulgarian

SpelloutSpellout Japanese:Japanese: No No whwh-words move to the front.-words move to the front.

Taroo-ga dare-ni nani-o ageta no?Taroo-ga dare-ni nani-o ageta no?T-nom who-to what-acc gave QT-nom who-to what-acc gave Q‘What did Taroo give to whom?’‘What did Taroo give to whom?’

And, in Japanese, Spellout is relatively early.And, in Japanese, Spellout is relatively early.

LFmove firstwh-word

move secondwh-word

BulgarianJapanese

SpelloutSpellout English:English: Just one Just one whwh-word moves to the front.-word moves to the front.

What did Pat give to whom?What did Pat give to whom?

And, in English, Spellout is sort of in-between.And, in English, Spellout is sort of in-between.

LFmove firstwh-word

move secondwh-word

BulgarianJapanese English

The The whwh-typology-typology Thought of this way, Bulgarian shows all of its Thought of this way, Bulgarian shows all of its

whwh-movement.-movement. Bulgarian: Bulgarian: All All whwh-words move to the front.-words move to the front.

Kakvo na kogo Ivan dade?Kakvo na kogo Ivan dade?what to whom Ivan gavewhat to whom Ivan gave‘What did Ivan give to whom?’‘What did Ivan give to whom?’

Pick the Pick the xx, pick the , pick the yy, such that Ivan gave , such that Ivan gave xx to to yy..

We We seesee the the whwh-phrases moving in Bulgarian. -phrases moving in Bulgarian. But we know from the meaning that all of these But we know from the meaning that all of these movements have to happen in all languages.movements have to happen in all languages.

The The whwh-typology-typology

We conclude then that languages We conclude then that languages differ differ notnot in in whetherwhether they move all of they move all of the the whwh-words to the front of the -words to the front of the sentence—they all do—but rather in sentence—they all do—but rather in whenwhen they move them there (relative they move them there (relative to Spellout).to Spellout).

Bulgarian:Bulgarian: All before Spellout.All before Spellout. Japanese:Japanese: All after Spellout.All after Spellout. English:English: One before Spellout, the One before Spellout, the

rest after Spellout.rest after Spellout.

The The whwh-typology-typology

A common terminology for this is A common terminology for this is “overt” and “covert” movement:“overt” and “covert” movement:

Bulgarian:Bulgarian: All All whwh-movement is -movement is overt.overt.

Japanese:Japanese: All All whwh-movement is -movement is covert.covert.

English:English: One One whwh-phrase moves -phrase moves overtly, the rest move covertly.overtly, the rest move covertly.

DerivationsDerivations This allows us a fairly uniform view of This allows us a fairly uniform view of

languages.languages. Across languages, the underlying structure is Across languages, the underlying structure is

basically the samebasically the same (theta requirements, (theta requirements, functional projections)functional projections)..

Across languages, the LF is basically the sameAcross languages, the LF is basically the same (meanings, scope, etc.)(meanings, scope, etc.)..

This means that This means that across languages, the across languages, the movementsmovements that happen between DS and LF are that happen between DS and LF are basically the samebasically the same..

What differs is the What differs is the timing of Spellouttiming of Spellout—whether —whether the movements happen before or after Spellout.the movements happen before or after Spellout.

Selection and scopeSelection and scope Something of an aside: There are many verbs Something of an aside: There are many verbs

that can take CP complements.that can take CP complements. Some can take only declaratives (Some can take only declaratives (regretregret, ,

depend ondepend on)) *I regret who left.*I regret who left. I regret that Pat left.I regret that Pat left.

Some can take only questions… (Some can take only questions… (wonderwonder, , askask)) I wonder who left.I wonder who left. *I wonder that Pat left.*I wonder that Pat left.

Many can take either… (Many can take either… (guessguess, , knowknow, , hearhear, , saysay)) I know who left.I know who left. I know that Pat left.I know that Pat left.

SelectionSelection

We can think of this in terms of We can think of this in terms of complement featurescomplement features of the V (the of the V (the verb “selects” for certain kinds of verb “selects” for certain kinds of complements).complements). RegretRegret has a [-Q] complement feature.has a [-Q] complement feature. WonderWonder has a [+Q] complement featurehas a [+Q] complement feature Know Know has neither.has neither.

ScopeScope

When we move a When we move a whwh-word into -word into SpecCP, we say that it “takes scope” SpecCP, we say that it “takes scope” at that clause. What this means is at that clause. What this means is that its domain of influence (its c-that its domain of influence (its c-command domain) is limited to that command domain) is limited to that CP.CP.

I know what Pat said she bought.I know what Pat said she bought. I know [I know [CPCP what whatii C [ C [IPIP Pat said Pat said

[[CPCP tt’’ii C [ C [IPIP she bought she bought ttii]]]]]]]]

ScopeScope A A whwh-word can only take scope at a [+WH] -word can only take scope at a [+WH]

clause, and at least one clause, and at least one whwh-word must take -word must take scope at each [+WH] clause.scope at each [+WH] clause.

*I regret [*I regret [CPCP who whoii C [ C [IPIP ttii left ]] left ]]

[[CPCP who whoii ttii said [ said [CPCP what whatjj Pat bought Pat bought ttjj]]]]

[[CPCP who whoii ttii said [ said [CPCP Pat bought what]] Pat bought what]] LF: [LF: [CPCP who whoii what whatjj ttii said [ said [CPCP ttjj’ Pat bought ’ Pat bought ttjj]]]]

*What*Whatjj do you wonder [ do you wonder [CPCP ttjj’ Pat bought ’ Pat bought ttjj]]

Pair-list readingsPair-list readings

When you have two When you have two whwh-words that take -words that take the same scope, you generally have an the same scope, you generally have an interpretation of a “list of pairs”:interpretation of a “list of pairs”:

I know [I know [CPCP who whoii ttii bought what ] bought what ]

LF:LF: I know [ I know [CPCP who whoii what whatjj [ [IPIP ttii bought bought ttjj]]]]

WhoWhoii ttii knows [ knows [CPCP what whatjj Pat bought t Pat bought tjj]]

SuperioritySuperiority

Who did Bill persuade to buy what?Who did Bill persuade to buy what? (Bill persuaded Mary to buy a book, he (Bill persuaded Mary to buy a book, he

persuaded Larry to buy a coffee table, persuaded Larry to buy a coffee table, he persuaded Sue to buy a futon, …)he persuaded Sue to buy a futon, …)

Pick the Pick the xx, pick the , pick the yy, such that, such thatBill persuaded Bill persuaded xx to buy to buy yy..

So both So both whwh-words (-words (whowho and and whatwhat) ) take scope at the matrix clause take scope at the matrix clause SpecCP.SpecCP.

SuperioritySuperiority

Who did Bill persuade to buy what?Who did Bill persuade to buy what? *What did Bill persuade who to buy?*What did Bill persuade who to buy?

It seems that we can’t just choose It seems that we can’t just choose just any just any whwh-word to move to SpecCP-word to move to SpecCP—one works, one doesn’t. What’s the —one works, one doesn’t. What’s the difference between the two?difference between the two?

SuperioritySuperiority

Superiority:Superiority: The shortest The shortest whwh--movements have to happen first. movements have to happen first. ((WhWh--movement isn’t possible if there was a movement isn’t possible if there was a shorter one).shorter one).

WhoWhoii did Bill persuade did Bill persuade ttii to buy what? to buy what?

*What*Whatii did Bill persuade who to buy did Bill persuade who to buy ttii ? ?

SuperioritySuperiority There is often also a strict ordering for There is often also a strict ordering for

languages where all languages where all whwh-words move to -words move to the front. We take this to also be due to the front. We take this to also be due to Superiority:Superiority: cine ce a vazutcine ce a vazut RomanianRomanian

who whom has seenwho whom has seen‘Who saw whom?’‘Who saw whom?’

*ce cine a vazut*ce cine a vazutwhom who has seenwhom who has seen‘Whom did who see?’‘Whom did who see?’

The higher The higher whwh-word has to move first (by -word has to move first (by Superiority) and shows up first.Superiority) and shows up first.

Where have allWhere have allthe the whwh-words gone?-words gone?

This brings up an interesting question This brings up an interesting question which we haven’t addressed yet—if all of which we haven’t addressed yet—if all of the the whwh-words are moving (in all languages, -words are moving (in all languages, some overtly like in Bulgarian and some overtly like in Bulgarian and Romanian), where are they going?Romanian), where are they going?

English moves its one English moves its one whwh-word to SpecCP.-word to SpecCP. There is only one SpecCP.There is only one SpecCP. Are the other Are the other whwh-words not moving to -words not moving to

SpecCP?SpecCP?

Where have allWhere have allthe the whwh-words gone?-words gone?

Following an influential proposal by Following an influential proposal by Rudin (1988), many people assume that Rudin (1988), many people assume that the other the other whwh-phrases move up and -phrases move up and adjoin to the wh-phrase already in the adjoin to the wh-phrase already in the specifierspecifier..

C

C

DP2

DP1

DP1

DP1

CP

who

C

C

CP

who what

DP2

what

…

Where have allWhere have allthe the whwh-words gone?-words gone?

This way, there is still This way, there is still oneone specifier of SpecCP, but the specifier of SpecCP, but the whwh-words are still all in the specifier of SpecCP, -words are still all in the specifier of SpecCP, attached to one another. attached to one another. (Note: (Note: right-adjoinedright-adjoined, cf. , cf. Bulgarian)Bulgarian) (Things are actually more complicated than this, but this is a (Things are actually more complicated than this, but this is a

good approximation of how one class of languages works—cf. good approximation of how one class of languages works—cf. Syntax II!)Syntax II!)

C

C

DP2

DP1

DP1

DP1

CP

who

C

C

CP

who what

DP2

what

…

Subjacency revisitedSubjacency revisited

Who knows where we bought what?Who knows where we bought what? (Bill does—he knows all about things bought (Bill does—he knows all about things bought

and places those things were bought from).and places those things were bought from). (Bill knows where we bought the coffee (Bill knows where we bought the coffee

table, Mary knows where we bought the table, Mary knows where we bought the futon, …)futon, …)

The second reading presents a problem. The second reading presents a problem. Both Both whowho and and whatwhat are paired up are paired up together in the main clause’s SpecCP. together in the main clause’s SpecCP. What’s the problem?What’s the problem?

Subjacency revisitedSubjacency revisited

The same as the problem withThe same as the problem with ??What??Whatii does Bill know where we bought does Bill know where we bought

ttii ? ? Moving Moving whatwhat here to the matrix SpecCP here to the matrix SpecCP

violates Subjacency, so the sentence violates Subjacency, so the sentence sounds somewhat off. Yet:sounds somewhat off. Yet:

Who knows where we bought what?Who knows where we bought what? ……sounds fine, even on the “list” reading.sounds fine, even on the “list” reading.

Subjacency revisitedSubjacency revisited

What’s different? Why is the reading What’s different? Why is the reading with with whatwhat associated with (moved to) associated with (moved to) the matrix SpecCP allowed in one case the matrix SpecCP allowed in one case and not the other?and not the other?

??What??Whatii does Bill know where we does Bill know where we bought bought ttii ? ?

Who knows where we bought what?Who knows where we bought what?

Subjacency revisitedSubjacency revisited

These sentences would suggest that These sentences would suggest that covert covert whwh-movement is not sensitive to -movement is not sensitive to whwh-islands-islands. . A very widely adopted assumption about A very widely adopted assumption about Subjacency is made to explain this:Subjacency is made to explain this:

Subjacency only holds for overt movement.Subjacency only holds for overt movement.

Because Because whatwhat in in Who knows where we Who knows where we bought what?bought what? moves covertly, it is no longer moves covertly, it is no longer subject to Subjacency and can just move subject to Subjacency and can just move directly into the matrix SpecCP.directly into the matrix SpecCP.

Wh-in-situ Wh-in-situ languageslanguages

Ni xiang-zhidao Ni xiang-zhidao [[shei mai-le shei mai-le sheme]sheme]??you wonder who bought you wonder who bought whatwhat‘What do you wonder who bought?’‘What do you wonder who bought?’

Mary-wa Mary-wa [[John-ni John-ni naninani-o ageta hito-o ageta hito]]-ni atta -ni atta no?no?M-top J-to M-top J-to whatwhat-acc gave man-to met Q-acc gave man-to met Q‘What did Mary meet [the man who gave ‘What did Mary meet [the man who gave tt to to John]?’John]?’

These are sentences which are possible in These are sentences which are possible in Chinese, Japanese, but not in English. They Chinese, Japanese, but not in English. They have have whwh-words inside islands.-words inside islands.

WCOWCO

There is an interesting property of There is an interesting property of the kind of operator-variable the kind of operator-variable formation that we can see in formation that we can see in whwh--movement.movement.

Who likes his roommate?Who likes his roommate? Pick the Pick the xx such that such that xx likes likes xx’s ’s

roommate.roommate. WhoWhoii [ [TPTP ttii likes his likes hisii roommate] roommate] Notice that it is possible to have a Notice that it is possible to have a

pronoun bound by a pronoun bound by a whwh-word.-word.

WCOWCO

But now consider this:But now consider this: Who does his roommate like?Who does his roommate like? Can this mean the same thing as Can this mean the same thing as

Whose roommate likes himWhose roommate likes him?? *Who*Whoii does his does hisii roommate like roommate like ttii ? ? How is this different fromHow is this different from WhoWhoii ttii likes his likes hisii roommate? roommate?

WCOWCO

*Who*Whoii does his does hisii roommate like roommate like ttii ? ? WhoWhoii ttii likes his likes hisii roommate? roommate?

The difference lies in the fact that the The difference lies in the fact that the whwh--phrase had to phrase had to cross overcross over the coindexed the coindexed pronoun on its way to SpecCP. This appears pronoun on its way to SpecCP. This appears to be impossible, and we can state this as to be impossible, and we can state this as follows:follows:

Weak Crossover (WCO):Weak Crossover (WCO): A coindexed pronoun A coindexed pronoun cannot intervene between an operator and its cannot intervene between an operator and its variable.variable.

WCOWCO

We can also see this effect with We can also see this effect with whwh-in-situ:-in-situ:

Who introduced her advisor to whom?Who introduced her advisor to whom? Who introduced whom to her advisor?Who introduced whom to her advisor?

Which girl told his parents to visit which Which girl told his parents to visit which boy?boy?

Which girl told whose parents to visit him?Which girl told whose parents to visit him?

To recapTo recap Derivations go from the underlying (initially Derivations go from the underlying (initially

Merged) representation in steps up to the Merged) representation in steps up to the LF representation (where the structure is LF representation (where the structure is interpreted).interpreted).

Spellout focuses on a particular step in the Spellout focuses on a particular step in the derivation for pronunciation, differs derivation for pronunciation, differs between languages.between languages.

All All whwh-words have moved to their scope -words have moved to their scope position by LF.position by LF.

WhWh-movement that occurs beyond the point -movement that occurs beyond the point of Spellout seems to be immune to islands.of Spellout seems to be immune to islands.