Linguist Forum

Specializations => Morphosyntax => Topic started by: Morphosyntax on April 26, 2016, 01:30:42 PM

Title: On the Predicate Internal Subject Hypothesis and DP Predicates
Post by: Morphosyntax on April 26, 2016, 01:30:42 PM

One standard assumption is that the subject of a clause originates from the specifier of its predicate, following the predicate internal subject hypothesis. For example, the subject of a simple transitive sentence would originate from [Spec, VP] (or [Spec, vP]) and the subject of a copular sentence with an adjectival predicate would originate from [Spec, AP].

One question arises when DP predicates are involved. In a sentence such as "this is Mary's watch", the specifier of the DP is occupied by "Mary".

[TREE][IP [DP This][I` [I is][VP [V` [V <is>][DP [NP Mary][D` [D `s][NP watch]]]]]]][/TREE]

The subject is, therefore, unable to be base-generated in [Spec, DP]. Where is it base-generated then? How does the hypothesis account for this?

Title: Re: On the Predicate Internal Subject Hypothesis and DP Predicates
Post by: mallu on April 27, 2016, 01:12:22 PM

>>>The subject is, therefore, unable to be base-generated in [Spec, DP]<<< Where from you got this idea?

Title: Re: On the Predicate Internal Subject Hypothesis and DP Predicates
Post by: Morphosyntax on April 27, 2016, 04:03:33 PM

Without subscribing to the view that an XP allows multiple specifiers, it would be obvious that "this" couldn't be base-generated in [Spec, DP] because it is occupied by "Mary".