Repository logo
 

Control into infinitival relatives

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

DOUGLAS, JAMIE 

Abstract

jats:pThis article focuses on a novel English construction involving control and infinitival relatives. Examples such as jats:italicthis is John's book to read</jats:italic> have a head noun (jats:italicbook</jats:italic>) modified by an infinitival relative clause (jats:italicto read</jats:italic>) and a prenominal possessor (jats:italicJohn's</jats:italic>). I argue that there is a control relation between the prenominal possessor and the PRO subject of the infinitival relative. I show that this control relation bears the structural hallmarks of obligatory control whilst at the same time permitting PRO to be interpreted as arbitrary. I discuss these empirical facts in the context of a syntactic, Agree-based theory of control.</jats:p>

Description

Keywords

47 Language, Communication and Culture, 4704 Linguistics

Journal Title

English Language and Linguistics

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1360-6743
1469-4379

Volume Title

23

Publisher

Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Sponsorship
European Research Council (269752)
AHRC (1376885)