Clefts and Their RelativesCleft constructions have long presented an analytical challenge for syntactic theory. This monograph argues that clefts and related constructions cannot be analysed in a straightforwardly compositional manner. Instead, it proposes that the locality conditions on modification (for example by a restrictive relative clause) must be reformulated such that they account for the apparent compositionality of DP-internal modification whilst also permitting 'discontinuous' modification of the type which is independently needed for constructions such as relative clause extraposition. The empirical focus of the book is on clefts in English and Russian, which have a similar interpretation but considerably divergent syntactic structures. The author argues that, despite these syntactic differences, both types of cleft are mapped to their semantic interpretations in the same manner. This monograph will be essential reading for those working on cleft constructions and copular sentences more generally, and will be of interest to those working on the syntax-semantics interface. |
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Common terms and phrases
0-binding Ad Neeleman adjoined adjunct anaphoric antecedent argue argument association with focus base-generated Bill Boris drank Boris vypil c-command Chapter Chomsky claim cleft clause cleft pronoun cleft sentences clefted XP clefts and specificational clitics Complement Principle complementiser constituent constructions contrast copular sentences copular verb čto Culicover Dikken DP-clefts embedded clause English clefts equative èto evidence example expletive extended projection extraction extraposed relative fact focus-fronting sentences functional head Hedberg interpretation involve it-extraposition sentences Ivan John that Mary Junghanns Linguistic Inquiry Maria usually buys Mary hit Mary saw modifier movement obligatory obyčno overt Percus Pëtr possible post-copular XP pre-copular XP predicational clefts present analysis problem proposed pseudo-clefts raising verb referential relative clause extraposition relative operator restrictive relatives Russian clefts saw John semantics Serbo-Croatian small clause specificational analyses specificational sentences structure subject relatives syntactic licensing condition syntax thematic licensing condition universal quantifier verb vodka VP-fronting wh-movement wh-phrase wh-question