A Phase-based Analysis of the Double Object Construction:Syntactic positions and case of the DPs

• 作 者: Dai Manchun;
• 机 构: Beijing Foreign Studies University
• 出 处: 第五届形式语言学国际研讨会
• 发表日期: 2011年期

@@ This paper focuses on double object constructions (DOC) [DPsubject V DP1 DP2] by adopting a phase-based analysis of derivations. Chomsky (2001, 2008) proposes that structures are generated in only one manner, i.e., merging X and Y. When X is not part of Y, it is external merge (EM). When Y is part of X, it is internal merge (IM). The two types of merge are significant in that they are mechanisms used by languages to express semantic properties apart from generalized argument structure as well as discourse-related and scopal properties. Following Chomsky’s proposal that “the number of specifiers is unlimited; the specifier-complement distinction itself reduces to first-Merge, second-Merge, and so on” (Chomsky 2008:146), we argue that the true object, the DP which is the Theme in the argument structure, is merged with V, forming the lower VP. The so-called indirect object or PP containing it is merged with the lower VP in its specifier position. The example in (1) illustrates these merge operations.