Syntax Lecture 3 Subcategories and Functional Heads Subcategories

Syntax Lecture 3: Subcategories and Functional Heads

Subcategories • The subcategories of a category are determined by what follows them – E. g. Verbs can be transitive (i. e. they are followed by an object) or intransitive (i. e. they are not followed by an object) • In other words, subcategories are determined by what appears in the complement position

Complement Position Complement

The complements of thematic categories • Thematic categories can take various types of complement and so have a number of subcategories • Verbs can be followed by – A nominal phrase – A clause – A PP – An AP – Nothing see [the news] think [ that he saw the news] react [to the news] feel [sorry] arrive

VPs and complements

The complements of thematic categories • Prepositions can have the same range of complements as verbs, except for clauses – Nominal – PP – AP – Nothing to [the west] from [under the bed] (range) from [heavy] to [medium] out

PPs and complements

The complements of thematic categories • Nouns can have the same complements as verbs, except for bare nominal phrases and APs – Clauses – PP – Nothing belief [that he can fly] reaction [to the news] table

NPs and complements

The complements of thematic categories • ‘A’s take the same complements as nouns – Clause – PP – Nothing likely [that he will fail] keen [on ice hockey] happy

AP and complements

The complements of functional categories • Before we look at the complements of functional categories, we need to introduce some new ideas which may contradict what you have been told to date.

Inflections • According to theory an Inflection heads an IP: • • But what phrase is this and what goes in its specifier and complement positions?

Inflections • The phrase that follows an Inflection is a VP: – will [VP meet Mary] – might [VP think she is nice] • So it seems that the complement of an Inflection is a VP:

Inflections • The kinds of phrases that come in front of the Inflection are the subjects: – [Nom. P John] will [VP meet Mary] – [Nom. P He] might [VP think she is nice] • But this is a whole sentence! • Could sentences be IPs?

Types of Sentences • Finite Sentences – Can be main clauses or embedded clauses • John will leave • I think [John will leave] • Infinitival Sentences – Can only be embedded clauses: • I want [John to leave] • * John to leave – Must have nominative subjects – Have either accusative or no subject: • He/*him will leave • * -- will leave • (I want) him/*he to leave • -- to leave – Are introduced by that • I think [that he will leave] – Are introduced by for • I am anxious [for him to leave]

The relationship between inflection and type of sentence • Finite sentences are marked with modal auxiliaries or tense morphemes – John will leave- John left • Infinitives are marked with to: – For John to leave • These are elements of the Inflection category – So the different types of clauses have different types of Inflection • This makes sense if the Inflection is the head as heads determine the nature of the phrase

The relationship between inflection and type of sentence • Finite clauses have finite Inflections • Infinitival clauses have infinitival Inflections • If the Inflection is the head of the clause, then the clause is an IP

The complement of the Inflection • Inflections always and only have VP complements – Mary will [write the paper] – * John will [the paper] – * Bill will [in the park] – * Susan will • So Inflections are very different from thematic heads, which can have different types of complements

Determiners • The Determiner heads a DP • • But what is in its complement and specifier positions?

The traditional analysis • The traditional assumption is that the determiner is inside the NP • • But if this is correct, we have no idea what comes in the complement or the specifier of DP – The determiner seems to be the only word in the DP – Thus there is doubt that it is a phrase at all – But only phrases go in specifier positions and there is no other word position in the phrase • Clearly the analysis is problematic

A more modern analysis • Since the mid 1980 s, another set of assumptions has been proposed – The determiner is the head of the nominal phrase – The NP sits inside the DP – – This provides an answer to what is in the complement position • The NP – Only an NP can be the complement of a determiner

Similarities between Inflections and Determiners • Both are functional heads • Both have very limited complements – I VP – D NP • These complements are headed by thematic heads (V and N)

Degree Adverbs • Degree adverbs always introduce modifiers (AP) • They are similar in many ways to determiners: – So tall – The book • This suggests that the AP is the complement of the degree adverb inside the phrase that it projects: •

Complementisers • Complementisers always introduce clauses • Clauses are IPs • If this follows the same pattern as the other functional heads, then the IP is the complement of the complementiser: •

Similarities between all functional heads • All functional heads take a very restricted number of complements – I VP – D NP – Deg – C IP • Therefore, unlike thematic heads, there are no subcategories of functional heads.

Conclusion • Heads place restrictions on their complements • Complements determine the different subcategories of the head • Thematic heads can take a number of different complements – There are subcategories of thematic head • Functional heads only take one kind of complement each – There are no subcategories of functional head