Feature 20. Restructuring

found in question(s): 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d, 50e, 50f, 50g, 50h, 50i, 50j, 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d, 51e, 51f, 51g, 51h, 51i, 52a, 52b, 52c, 52d, 52e, 52f, 52g, 52h, 52i, 53

Definition and illustration

In verbal complexes/restructuring constructions (also clause union), the verbal elements show signs of complex predicate formation, i.e., they seem to form a unit to the exclusion of the (combined) arguments. One way of illustrating this is by means of constructions where the verbs are moved as a unit, to the exclusion of their arguments, as in the following German example involving (partial) VP-topicalization:

(1)

More generally "restructuring" also means the absence of a clause boundary between a verb and its embedded predicate (in generative terms, what size the embedded complement is). This can be tested by checking for individual modifiability of the verbs employing adverbials (51) and negation (52). If the modifiers can not individually scope over the verbs, it is a sign that the verbs have formed a union of some form. As an example, German negation can never scope below a modal verb:

(2)

Given that verb clustering has been taken to be a property of OV-languages (Haider 2010), we only expect to see such clustering effects in OV-languages.

As in Feature 19, we also test for the Final-over-Final Condition (Sheehan et. al 2017): it should be universally impossible to have a head-initial construction embedded under a head-initial one, but only if they are part of the "same extended projection", e.g., they are both verbal. This universally rules out [[ V₂ O ] V₁ ].

The questions 50-52 test different diagnostics that detect verb cluster formation. The questions test this for different types of verbs, ranging from prototypical restructuring verbs like 'try' to verbs that are not likely to function as restructuring verbs like 'regret'. Question 54 investigates the possibility of raising to subject, i.e., movement of an embedded-clause subject to matrix-clause subject position, which may be connected to VO given that only VO-languages are taken to be subject to the EPP-requirement.

Correlations

Question 50 investigates the possibility of moving the verbal elements by themselves, to the exclusion of their arguments, as in the German example above. This is checked with different types of matrix verbs (restructuring and non-restructuring). Given that only OV-languages are taken to allow for verb cluster formation, we expect this only in OV-languages:

• Prediction 1: V-O → *[VP V1 V2 ] ... Arg1, Arg2 (irrespective of the verb type)
• Prediction 2: O-V → [VP V1 V2 ] ... Arg1, Arg2 (with restructuring verbs only)

Question 51 investigates the possibility of separating dependents (arguments or adjuncts) of V2 from V2 by V1 or dependents of V1 (thus showing cluster formation between V1 and V2. Given that only OV-languages are taken to allow for verb cluster formation, we expect this only in OV-languages. In addition, we expect no FOFC-violating orders:

• Prediction 1: V-O → *Arg2 V1 V2 (and many more logical possibilities)
• Prediction 2: O-V → Arg2 V1 V2 (and many more logical possibilities)
• Prediction 3: * [[ V₂ O ] V₁ ]

Question 52 investigates the possibility of negation scopeing over V1 when it is placed between V2 and an argument of V2. Again, given that only OV-languages are taken to allow for verb cluster formation, we expect this only in OV-languages:

• Predictrion 1: V-O → *A2 Neg V1 V2 (and many more logical possibilities)
• Predictrion 2: O-V → A2 Neg V1 V2 (and many more logical possibilities)

Question 53 investigates the possibility of raising. Since only VO-languages require the subject to move to a higher subject position, we expect this to be found only in VO-languages (while in OV-languages, raising constructions would be subsumed under restructuring). On a more general account like Fanselow (2020), raising is only expected to occur in languages with a structural subject position (EPP).

• Prediction 1: V-O → raising
• Prediction 2: O-V → no raising
• Prediction 3: raising → EPP

References