The syntax of direct quotes in Spanish and English

Margarita Suñer

Presented by Mireia Martínez Bou

Suñer, M. (2000). “The syntax of direct quotes in Spanish and English”. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 18: 525-578.

distribution •  direct quotes

[Ella] le dice: – ¡Papá! ¿Qué hace usted ahí?... she to.him says: Dad! What do you here She says to him: “Dad! What are you doing here?”

No es menester que lo digas – añadía Daniel. not is necessary that it.acc say.2s – added Daniel “It is not necessary that you say it”, Daniel added.

•  indirect quotes El muchacho propone que si el señor le aceptaría un café. the guy proposes that if the man from.him would.accept a coffee The young guy asks whether the man would accept a cup of coffee.

juxtaposition •  direct quotes are juxtaposed

•  possible even with all arguments of V present Renato le repite una vez más las instrucciones: – Ya sabe... Renato to.him repeats one time more the instructions You know… Renato repeats the instructions once more to him: “You know…”

•  a null argument is needed as a place holder

subject position with direct quotes

•  Spanish: “No, no es un enanito”, rectifica el viejo. “No, he is not a gnome”, corrected the old man.

- Juan es un gran tenor – aclara al viejo la mujer. “Juan is a great tenor”, explains the woman to the old man.

•  English: “I’d like some more”, requested John from his friend.

“I’d like some more”, John requested from his friend.

* “I’d like some more”, requested from his friend John.

subject position with direct quotes

•  Spanish: - Hortensia – corrige ella sonriendo. “Hortensia”, she corrects smiling.

•  English: * “I’d like some more”, requested he from his friend.

•  Null subjects

adverbs •  Spanish:

- ¿Necesita algo más? – pregunta al fin Renato. “Do you need anything else”, asks Renato finally.

…y Renato asentía mansamente: – Sí, yo le bañaré… … and Renato assented tamely, “Yes, I will bathe him…”

- ¿Y eso? – pregunta ella de pronto secamente. “And that?”, she suddenly asks drily.

•  English: “I am leaving”, John shouted abruptly. “I am leaving”, shouted John abruptly. * “I am leaving”, shouted abruptly John.

quantifiers •  Spanish:

- ¡Fuego! – gritaron todos los vecinos con desesperación. Fire! shouted all the neighbours with despair

- ¡Fuego! – gritaron con desesperación todos los vecinos. * - ¡Fuego! – gritaron los vecinos todos con desesperación. ?? - ¡Fuego! – gritaron los vecinos con desesperación todos. Gritaron todos los vecinos con desesperación: – ¡Fuego! Los vecinos gritaron todos con desesperación: – ¡Fuego!

•  English: “We must do this again”, the guests all declared to Tony. “We must do this again”, declared all the guests to Tony. * “We must do this again”, declared the guests all to Tony.

quote positions

Pero Andrea insiste: – Está viejo. But Andrea insists, “He’s getting old”.

– ¡Ah, cuando yo cantaba en el Scala – farfulla el viejo. “Ah, when I was singing at the Scala…!” the old man jabbers.

“Claro”, comprendió el viejo, “les ha dicho el médico que me queda poco”. “Of course”, understood the old man, “the doctor has told them that I have little time left.

quotes & DOs •  wrap-around quotes – how could only part of

the quote front?

•  quotative V may already appear with its DO Renato le repite una vez más las instrucciones: – Ya sabe... Renato repeats the instructions once more to him: “You know…”

•  quotative V may be intransitive - Cierto, los moros – asiente el profesor. “True, the moors”, agrees the professor.

negation “Let’s eat”, John didn’t say just once. * “Let’s eat”, not said John just once.

“Comamos”, no dijo Juan una sola vez. Let’s eat not said Juan one only time.

complex verbs •  EN does not allow QI in complex verbs

“What time is it”, John was asking of Mona. * “What time is it”, was John asking of Mona. * “What time is it”, was asking John of Mona.

•  SP: QI is possible with complex verbs - No hables – le había pedido Rafael. “Don’t talk”, Rafael had requested of him.

•  French also has QI with auxiliaries: “T’as vu mes lunettes?” a demandé Clotarie à Agnan. “Have you seen my glasses?” Clotarie asked Annan.

transitivity •  ditransitive verbs, constructions:

DP DP Mafalda gave Guille a kiss. DP PP Mafalda gave a kiss to Guille.

•  QI not permitted with double object verbs, allowed for those with the DP PP structure

“I am happy”, Mary told John. * “I am happy”, told Mary John. “I am happy”, said Mary to John.

transitivity •  Spanish: doubled IO

Mara confesó sus penas a Susana. Mara confessed her sorrows to Susana

Mara le confesó sus penas a Susana. Mara to.her confessed her sorrows to Susana

•  this construction is also possible in QI - ¿Y la señora?- le preguntó cortésmente el viejo. “And the Mrs.?” politely asked the old man of him.

¡Estate quieto, Juanito! – le decía Felisita a su hermano. “Be quiet, Juanito!” Felisita said to her brother.

restrictions •  QI is a far more restricted process in

English than it is in Spanish

•  differences not related to Spanish being a null subject language

reasons •  in Spanish, the ec is interpreted as an

anaphoric operator, in English it is interpreted as a null constant

•  V behaves differently in each language: •  Spanish: a tensed V always raises to T •  English: V mostly stays inside the VP

thank you.