3 Icelandic Expletive Constructions and the Distribution of Subject Types
نویسنده
چکیده
منابع مشابه
Scandinavian Clause Structure and Object Shift
This paper focusses on the theory of clause structure in Icelandic, contrasting it along the way with that of another Scandinavian language, Swedish. I argue that LFG provides a very simple and appealing account of two distinguishing properties of Icelandic: (i) the presence of two apparent subject positions in the `Transitive Expletive' construction, and (ii) the phenomenon of `Object Shift', ...
متن کاملReferential, Quasi, and Expletive Subjects in L2 English of Persian Speakers
The present study sought to investigate the acquisition of referential, quasi and expletive subject pronouns, three different types of obligatory subjects in English, by adult Persian speaking L2 learners of English at different stages of L2 acquisition. A Grammaticality Judgment Test and a Translation Test were designed and developed to elicit the participants' knowledge of obligatory subjects...
متن کاملExpletives as Arguments : Germanic Existential Sentences Revisited *
We propose an analysis for expletive-associate constructions within the minimalist framework outlined by Chomsky (1991, and later). Specifically, we argue that the expletive is an argument expression that must raise to the (most) external subject position in order to satisfy the Extended Projection Principle and check nominative case, while number agreement is checked by the associate. We prese...
متن کاملAn Inquiry into Existential Constructions
Existential constructions play an important role in the development of Generative Grammar. Their special natures urge linguists to pay painstaking effort to give them a unified account. At first we have a brief review of the relevant study of these constructions and examine their strong points and weakness. On the basis of their study, we assume that in existential constructions of SVO language...
متن کاملEnglish Expletive Constructions Are Not Infected
Sobin (1997) proposes an analysis of several ‘‘prestige’’ constructions of English under which they result from grammatical viruses. Counter to his claim, I argue that plural agreement in expletive constructions introduced by there results not from a virus but from the grammar of English, because it lacks signature properties of viruses. I show that the flat agreement seen in expletive construc...
متن کامل