Some Parameters of English

L322

Parameters are properties that individual languages have that differentiate them from other languages. It has been assumed that there are a universal set of parameters for languages to draw upon, though there is no hard core evidence to support this interesting view. However, we shall assume it here without argument.

One parameter is the fact that English uses the auxiliary verb to function as a host for tense when tense cannot lower. It cannot be universally determined what verb each languages uses as a dummy function verb, but the ban against stranded forms is universal.

WH-movement contains a few parameters. Whether the WH-operator moves in the syntax is one such parameter, whether only one or more WH-phrases in a clause moves is a parameter. In Logical Form (the step, not discussed in L322) all WH-operators must move. The parametric variation is within the syntax.

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