Intermediate
Syntax Intermediate
Syntax
Week 8
Week 8:: arguments and the passive Voice,
and subject-to-subject raising.
Passive arguments
agent deletable in passive if overt in active voice
agent implied
<agent: X>
<agent: [+human] = someone or somebody.
If there is no agent in active voice, then no implied or overt agent in passive.
agent > instrument > theme/patient
Subject-to-subject raising
Certain verbs and adjectives take tensed complements or infinitives
seem, appear, certain, one argument: tensed clause or infinitive
apt, sure: infinitive
no subject argument
'it' is dummy pronoun called a pleonastic pronoun.
dummy pronouns like dummy auxes are Last Resort.
Infinitives are tenseless clauses
'to' is [-Tense] as opposed to [+Tense] for [±Past].
TENSE -> [±Tense], [+Tense] -> [±Past]
'to' cannot assign any Case.
Subject NP of embedded clause has no Case.
NP raises to subject position of matrix clause.
Agreement applies after raising.
Second pass to the lexicon.
Lexical entry for seem
Lexical entry for apt
non-raising predicate adjectives
[±Gender, ±Fem].
Second argument: experiencer
Extraposition
