Parasitic Gaps in Adjunct

초록

The purpose of this paper is to provide the licensing condition under which an object case-marked trace can license a null operator. In section II, we have examined three main approaches to parasitic gaps which have been proposed in the literature. The pioneering studies by Chomsky (1982, 1986b) treat parasitic gaps as a unified class and look for a common licensing mechanism applicable to all cases. On the other hand, Nissenbaum (2000), and Niinuma (2010) make it possible to see parasitic gaps from a different perspective, but their treatment of parasitic gaps is problematic on empirical grounds. Nissenbaum’s (2000) analysis relies on Index Free Assignment based on Chomsky’s early framework (1982, 1988), which poses a problem since it concerns a transitive relation. Similarly, Niinuma’s (2010) analysis cannot be treated on a par with other languages since in many cases, they are influenced by language- specific properties. In section III, we have argued that as plausibly argued by Chomsky (1986b), Spec (CP) in adjunct is filled with null operators and that a parasitic gap is licensed by an object case-marked trace created by movement. We have also claimed that linking is an alternative to Index Free Assignment since it does not concern a transitive relation. Finally, we have proposed the licensing condition under which an object case-marked trace can license a null operator. There are several tenable reasons to argue for this licensing condition.

키워드