8 Split Projections

8.1 Overview

CP: Force Phrase, Topic Phrase, Focus Phrase

TP: Tense Phrase, Aspect Phrase, Mood Phrase

VP: headed by a lexical verb

vP :headed by an abstract light verb1

8.2 Split CP: Force, Topic and Focus projections

Focus(1)No other colleague would he turn to(2)T to C, NegP to Spec, CP(3) I am absolutely convinced [that no other colleague would he turn

to] Force QP FocRizzi (1997, 2001b, 2004) : split CP hypothesis: CP should be split into a number of different projections. ForceP: Force markers: declarative, interrogative, imperative,

exclamative in force FocP 2

(7) He had seen something truly evil—prisoners being ritually

raped, tortured and mutilated. He prayed that atrocities like

those, never again would he witness.(8) ForceP

Force TopP that DP Top´ Ø atrocities like those Top FocP Ø AdvP Foc´ never again Foc TP would he would never again witness Ø atrocities like those

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Relative operators & wh-Q-expressionin the spec of Force

(9) a. A university is the kind of place [in which, that kind of behaviour, we cannot tolerate] b. Syntax is the kind of subject [which only very rarely will students enjoy]

(10) a. [ForceP in which [Force Ø [TopP that kind of behaviour

[Top Ø [TP we cannot tolerate t t]]]

b. . [ForceP which [Force Ø [FocP only very rarely

[Foc will [TP students t enjoy t t ]]](11) a. Lee wonders [whether under no circumstances at all would Robin volunteer] b. Lee wonders [why under no circumstances at all would Robin volunteer]4

8.4 Split VP: Transitive ergative structures(3-place vt → 2-place vi)

(39) a. They will roll the ball down the hill (cf. UTAH)

b. The ball will roll down the hill

(40) a. He filled the bath with water

b. The bath filled with water

(41) a. He broke the vase into pieces

b. The vase broke into pieces

(42) a. They withdrew the troops from Ruritania

b. The troops withdrew from Ruritania

(43) a. They closed the store down

b. The store closed down

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UTAH : two arguments which fulfil the same thematic function with respect to a given predicate must be merged in the same position in the syntax

(39a) and (39b) are assumed to contain the same ‘core’ VP structure:

[VP the ball [V roll] down the hill]

lexical verb (=V) roll

abstract causative light verb (v); a null verb with much the same

causative interpretation as the verb MAKE

roll the ball

= make the ball roll

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(46) VP (47) vP PRN v´ DP V´ they v VP the ball roll+Ø DP V´ V PP the ball roll down the hill V PP roll down the hill

(48) ) CP VP-shell/split VP

C TP

Ø PRN T´

They T vP will PRN v´ they v VP roll+Ø DP V´ (ADV adjunction) the ball V´ (gently) V PP roll down the hill

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(65) Merger Condition where V has a clausal internal argument and some other type/s of internal argument, the clausal argument is the first to be merged with V; where V has a (pro)nominal internal argument and some other type/s of internal argument, the (pro)nominal argument is the last one merged with V

(66) She bet several dollars with him that she would beat him

i) The first argument to be merged with the verb bet is its CP complement; [bet that she would beat him]

ii) Then, [with him [bet that she would beat him]]

iii)Lastly, [QPseveral dollars [PPwith him [VPbet that she would beat him]]]

iv)Raising of the verb bet from V to v

v) [vPPRN bet [several dollars [with him [bet that she would beat him]]]

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(88) Expletive Condition (revised)

(i) External Argument Condition: An expletive can only be merged as the last/highest argument of a light verb with no external argument (i.e. in spec-v)

(ii) Indefinitness Condition: Expletive there can only be merged as the specifier of a light verb whose VP complement has an indefinite nominal or pronominal internal argument

(iii) Inactivity Condition: Expletive it can only be merged as the specifier of a light verb which does not c-command any accessible nominal or pronominal expression with some active case-or φ-feature(s)

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