Resumptive pronoun: Difference between revisions
New page: A '''resumptive pronoun''' is a pronoun that refers back to a previously realized item within the same syntactic structure. Resumptive pronouns are often found in relative clauses, wh... |
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A '''resumptive pronoun''' is a pronoun that refers back to a previously realized item within the same syntactic structure. | ==Definition== | ||
A '''resumptive pronoun''' is a pronoun that refers back to a previously realized item within the same syntactic structure. Resumptive pronouns are often found in [[relative clause]]s, where they are realized twice -- once as relative pronoun and once as resumptive pronoun. <br> | |||
Resumptive pronouns are often found in [[relative clause]]s, where they are realized twice -- once as relative pronoun and once as resumptive pronoun. | |||
In [[generative syntax]], resumptive pronouns are seen as an alternative strategy to movement (Haegeman 1994: 409), they are spell-out forms, where otherwise (i.e. if movement would have applied properly) only invisible [[trace]]s would be left. | In [[generative syntax]], resumptive pronouns are seen as an alternative strategy to movement (Haegeman 1994: 409), they are spell-out forms, where otherwise (i.e. if movement would have applied properly) only invisible [[trace]]s would be left. | ||
'''Resumptive pronoun''' is a pronoun which appears in the position of the [[variable]] bound by a ''wh''-phrase. | |||
==Examples== | |||
The strategy to form relative clauses with resumptive pronouns is applied in non-standard [[French]]: | The strategy to form relative clauses with resumptive pronouns is applied in non-standard [[French]]: | ||
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'Here is the man that Marie has talked to' (cited after Haegeman 1994: 409) | 'Here is the man that Marie has talked to' (cited after Haegeman 1994: 409) | ||
*Haegeman, Liliane. 1994. ''Introduction to Government and Binding Theory.'' 2nd Edn. Oxford: Blackwell. | in (i) ''him'' is a resumptive pronoun bound by ''who'' and interpreted as a [[bound variable]]. | ||
(i) I wonder [who<sub>i </sub>they think [that [if Mary marries him<sub>i </sub>] then | |||
everybody will be happy]] | |||
The appearance of resumptive pronouns is marginal in standard English, but quite acceptable in French and colloquial English. Theoretically, the construction is exceptional as well. Since the ''if''-clause creates an [[Adjunct]] Island, extraction of ''who'' out of the object position of ''marries'' is ungrammatical, as shown in (ii): | |||
(ii) * I wonder [who<sub>i </sub>they think [that [if Mary marries e<sub>i </sub>] then | |||
everybody will be happy]] | |||
The resulting [[chain]] presumably violates [[subjacency]]. In (i), on the other hand, ''who'' has not been moved. But being an operator, it must bind a variable, in this case the resumptive pronoun ''him''. | |||
== Links == | |||
*[http://www2.let.uu.nl/UiL-OTS/Lexicon/zoek.pl?lemma=Resumptive+pronoun&lemmacode=344 Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics] | |||
== References == | |||
* Chomsky, N. 1982. ''Some concepts and consequences of the theory of government and binding,'' MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass. | |||
* Chomsky, N. 1981. ''Lectures on Government and Binding,'' Foris, Dordrecht. | |||
* Haegeman, Liliane. 1994. ''Introduction to Government and Binding Theory.'' 2nd Edn. Oxford: Blackwell. | |||
* Zribi-Hertz, A. 1984. ''Orphan prepositions in French and the concept of null pronoun,'' Researchers Linguistique 12, | |||
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[[Category:Syntax]] | [[Category:Syntax]] | ||
Latest revision as of 16:56, 28 September 2014
Definition
A resumptive pronoun is a pronoun that refers back to a previously realized item within the same syntactic structure. Resumptive pronouns are often found in relative clauses, where they are realized twice -- once as relative pronoun and once as resumptive pronoun.
In generative syntax, resumptive pronouns are seen as an alternative strategy to movement (Haegeman 1994: 409), they are spell-out forms, where otherwise (i.e. if movement would have applied properly) only invisible traces would be left.
Resumptive pronoun is a pronoun which appears in the position of the variable bound by a wh-phrase.
Examples
The strategy to form relative clauses with resumptive pronouns is applied in non-standard French:
| Voici | l'homme | que | Marie | lui | a | parlé |
| here_is | the_man | that | Marie | to_him | has | talked |
'Here is the man that Marie has talked to' (cited after Haegeman 1994: 409)
in (i) him is a resumptive pronoun bound by who and interpreted as a bound variable.
(i) I wonder [whoi they think [that [if Mary marries himi ] then
everybody will be happy]]
The appearance of resumptive pronouns is marginal in standard English, but quite acceptable in French and colloquial English. Theoretically, the construction is exceptional as well. Since the if-clause creates an Adjunct Island, extraction of who out of the object position of marries is ungrammatical, as shown in (ii):
(ii) * I wonder [whoi they think [that [if Mary marries ei ] then
everybody will be happy]]
The resulting chain presumably violates subjacency. In (i), on the other hand, who has not been moved. But being an operator, it must bind a variable, in this case the resumptive pronoun him.
Links
References
- Chomsky, N. 1982. Some concepts and consequences of the theory of government and binding, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.
- Chomsky, N. 1981. Lectures on Government and Binding, Foris, Dordrecht.
- Haegeman, Liliane. 1994. Introduction to Government and Binding Theory. 2nd Edn. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Zribi-Hertz, A. 1984. Orphan prepositions in French and the concept of null pronoun, Researchers Linguistique 12,