Luo: from Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics

2008-05-18T13:12:04Z

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In generative syntax, '''control''' is the phenomenon that the understood ([[PRO]]) subject of an infinitival clause must be anaphorically dependent on a specific argument of the matrix clause.

In phonology, '''control''' is a mechanism introduced in DiSciullo & Williams (1987) which assigns a special linkage between the argument of an affix and a position in the verb's argument structure, thereby preventing that argument from being realized syntactically.

===Examples===
In (i), the understood subject of ''to leave'' must be ''John''; in (ii), it is ''Susan''. The case in (i) is called 'subject control' (the so-called controller ''John'' is a subject), the case in (ii) 'object control' (''Susan'' is an indirect object).

(i) ''John promised Susan to leave''

(ii) ''John persuaded Susan to leave''

The [[argument structure]] of the English [[verb]] ''employ'' consists of two arguments (viz. AGENT and THEME). If the [[suffix]] ''-er'' is added to this verb, the resulting [[noun]] ''employer'' is an AGENT, and in ''John's employer'', ''John'' cannot realize that argument. On the other hand, if the [[suffix]] ''-ee'' is added to this verb the resulting noun ''employee'' is a THEME, and in the [[NP]] ''John's employee'', the noun ''John'' cannot express the THEME role. DiSciullo & Williams account for the difference between ''-er'' and ''-ee'' by assuming that the [[suffix]] ''-er'' controls the external argument (= AGENT role) of the [[verb]] ''employ'', while ''-ee'' controls its internal argument (= THEME role). In both cases, the controlled argument cannot be expressed in syntax.

===See also===
[[Control Theory]]

===Link===
[http://www2.let.uu.nl/UiL-OTS/Lexicon/zoek.pl?lemma=Control&lemmacode=932 Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics]

===References===
*{{: Chomsky 1981}}
*Di Sciullo, A. M. & Williams, E. 1987. On the Definition of Word. Cambridge, Mass: MIT-press.
*{{: Spencer 1991}}

{{dc}}
[[Category:Syntax]]
[[Category:Phonology]]

Control - Revision history

Luo: from Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics