Subject Extraction and Wh-interrogatives.pdf

Subject Extraction and Wh-interrogatives Universit?t des Saarlandes Muralikrishnan, R. TaCoS 2006 June 12, 2006Subject Extraction and Wh-interrogatives 2 Contents ? Abstract and Introduction ? Analysis ? Motivation for a new feature ? How does it work ? Examples ? Discussion and Conclusion June 12, 2006Subject Extraction and Wh-interrogatives 3 Abstract and Introduction June 12, 2006Subject Extraction and Wh-interrogatives 4 Abstract ? The BMS(2001) HPSG analysis of Subject Extraction leaves the sentence with an unsaturated SUBJ list (Wh-interrogatives). ? We motivate the introduction of a new feature to address this issue. ? We show examples of how things work with the introduction of the new feature. June 12, 2006Subject Extraction and Wh-interrogatives 5 Introduction ? Extraction ? Types of Extraction ? HPSG Analysis of Extraction ? Pollard Sag (1994 Ch.9) analysis ? Bouma, Malouf Sag (2001) analysis ? Issue(s) to be addressed June 12, 2006Subject Extraction and Wh-interrogatives 6 Extraction… ? What is Extraction? ? Extraction is a syntactic phenomenon, in which an overt constituent is in a non-argument position. ? Such constructions are called Unbounded Dependency Constructions (UDCs). ? In other words, a syntactic constituent having been ‘extracted’ out of its ‘original’ or usual position, occurs in another position. ? The extracted constituent is called a filler that fills the gap or trace it left behind. June 12, 2006Subject Extraction and Wh-interrogatives 7 …Extraction ? Strong UDC → Overt constituent in non-argument position. ? Weak UDC → Constituent in argument position, but interpreted as co-referential with the trace. ? Examples of filler-gap constructions in English include: ? Topicalisation ? Kimi, Sandy loves ___i. (strong UDC) ? Relative Clause ? This is the politiciani who Sandy loves ___i. (strong UDC) ? This is the politiciani Sandy loves ___i. (weak UDC) ? It-Cleft ? It is Kimi who Sandy loves ___i. (strong UDC) ? It is Kimi Sandy loves _