Origins of Predicates: Evidence from Plains Cree (Outstanding Dissertations in Linguistics)

Book Cover......Page 1
Half-Title......Page 2
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Acknowledgments......Page 12
Abbreviations and Symbols......Page 15
1.0 Introduction......Page 18
1.1 Three Defining Properties of the Predicate......Page 21
1.2 Plains Cree Roots Are Not Predicates......Page 24
1.3 Proposal: Predicates Are Syntactic Constructs......Page 26
1.4 An Implementation: vP Syntax......Page 28
1.5 Two Essential Theoretical Assumptions......Page 31
1.5.1 Bare Phrase Structure......Page 32
1.5.2 Theta-Role Assignment as Feature-Checking......Page 34
1.6.1 Two Lexical Categories and Four Verb Types......Page 37
1.6.2 Order: Independent vs. Conjunct......Page 38
1.6.3 Direction: Direct vs. Inverse......Page 39
1.6.4 Obviation: Proximate vs. Obviative......Page 40
1.8 Outline of the Thesis......Page 41
2.0 Introduction......Page 44
2.1 Evidence for the ZEH......Page 45
2.1.1 Paradigmatic Cases......Page 46
2.1.2 Problematic Cases......Page 51
2.2 Semantic and Syntactic Effects of t......Page 54
2.2.1 The Role of t in Eventuality Composition......Page 55
2.2.2 The Position of t......Page 63
2.3 Why Other Eventuality Theories Are Inappropriate for Plains Cree......Page 66
2.3.1 Lexical-Semantic Approaches......Page 68
2.3.2 Event Structure Approaches......Page 69
2.3.3 Syntactic Approaches......Page 71
2.3.3.1 McClure 1995......Page 72
2.3.3.2 Hale and Keyser 1993......Page 74
2.3.3.3 Borer 1994......Page 76
2.3.4 Facing a Case for Aspectual/Morphological Stacking......Page 78
2.3.5 Summary......Page 82
2.4 Dynamic Intransitives Are Structurally Transitive......Page 84
2.5 Interim Conclusion......Page 87
2.6 Eventualities Irrelevant to Eventuality Composition......Page 88
2.6.1 Achievement......Page 89
2.6.2 Semelfactive......Page 91
2.6.3 Dynamic......Page 94
3.0 Introduction......Page 97
3.1.1 Evidence for a Syntactic Treatment of Verbal Complexes......Page 98
3.1.2 A Linearization Mechanism for vP-Internal Morphemes......Page 100
3.2 Three vP Structures and Plains Cree Predicates......Page 105
3.2.1 Single-Layered vP: Static Unaccusatives......Page 109
3.2.2 Double-Layered vP I: Transitives......Page 110
3.2.2.1 Manner Specification......Page 114
3.2.2.2 Object Agreement......Page 116
3.2.2.3 Summary......Page 121
3.2.3 Double-Layered vP II: Unergatives......Page 122
3.2.3.1 Simple Unergatives......Page 123
3.2.3.2 Unergatives of Movement......Page 125
3.2.3.3 Summary......Page 128
3.2.4 Double-Layered vP III: Dynamic Unaccusatives......Page 129
3.2.5 Triple-Layered vP: Applicatives......Page 132
3.2.6 Summary......Page 138
3.3 The Demise of Morphological Templates......Page 139
3.4 Conclusion......Page 145
4.0 Introduction......Page 146
4.1 Incorporated Nouns and Medials......Page 148
4.2 Noun Incorporation......Page 151
4.2.1 Single-Layered vP: Static Unaccusatives......Page 153
4.2.2 Double-Layered vP I: Transitives......Page 154
4.2.3 Double-Layered vP II: Unergatives......Page 157
4.2.4 Double-Layered vP III: Dynamic Unaccusatives......Page 160
4.2.5 Triple-Layered vP: Applicatives......Page 162
4.2.6 Interim Summary......Page 167
4.2.7 Two Diagnostics of Syntactic Noun Incorporation......Page 171
4.2.7.1 Coreference......Page 172
4.2.7.2 Wh-Questions......Page 174
4.3 Medial Incorporation......Page 176
4.3.1 Three Functions of Medials......Page 178
4.3.2 A Syntactic Account......Page 180
4.3.3 Summary......Page 182
4.4 A Note on Morpheme Linearization......Page 185
4.5 Conclusion......Page 190
5.0 Introduction......Page 192
5.1 Generic Object Construction......Page 194
5.1.2 Double-Layered vP II: Unergatives......Page 196
5.1.3 Double-Layered vP III: Dynamic Unaccusatives......Page 198
5.1.4 Triple-Layered vP: Applicatives......Page 199
5.2 Unspecified Subject Construction......Page 203
5.2.1 An Analysis of USC: Dvchaine and Reinholtz 1998......Page 205
5.2.2 Evidence for Movement: “Copying to Object”......Page 207
5.2.3 Indifference of USC to Verb Type......Page 209
5.3 Conclusion......Page 213
6.1 Origins of Predicates......Page 217
6.2.1 Combinations of the Three Features......Page 219
6.2.3 Category-Neutrality of the Root......Page 222
6.2.4 Patterns of Realization and Conflation of Syntactic Objects......Page 224
6.2.5 Ordering the Merger of Features/Syntactic Objects......Page 226
6.2.6 Split of v1?4......Page 227
6.2.7 Beyond vP Structures: Capturing Two Direction-Related Generalizations......Page 229
6.3 Conclusion......Page 234
7.0 Introduction......Page 235
7.1 -Payi as a Reflexive Suffix......Page 236
7.2 An Implementation of Reflexivization......Page 238
7.2.1 Raising over Binding......Page 239
7.2.2 Internal vs. External Reflexivization......Page 242
7.3 Conclusion: On (No) Causative-Inchoative Alternation......Page 246
References......Page 250
Index......Page 256