Multiple Spell-out: Evidence from German |
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Gisbert Fanselow (Potsdam) |
In recent work,
Chomsky proposes a cyclic model of the syntax-phonology interface: phases are
spelt out immediately after completion. In this paper, I would like to present
some evidence from German that supports this view.
The line of
argumentation is fairly simple. In verb second clauses, X(P)s other than the
subject are attracted to first position because they bear a certain operator
feature: wh, focus, topic. Normally, when the word or subconstituent bearing f
is attracted to first position, the full maximal projection dominating f must
be pied-piped, but this is not necessary in all cases. Sometimes, the only the
word realizing a certain feature is moved. The word realizing a a wh-feature is
the wh-word itself, but the word realizing a pragmatic feature of XP can be
taken to be that element in XP that bears the special intonation connected with
the pragmatic function.
We can observe now
that the pragmatic topicalization of a verb phrase can be realized
syntactically in a number of different ways: the complete VP can be placed into
first position, but often, the preposing of the stressed particle, or of part
of the direct suffices to express the topichood of VP. These elements moved to
the left are the words in VP that would receive structurally determined accent
by the nuclear stress rule.
The selection of
elements for movement to first position thus depends on a property that is
phonologically determined, viz. the outcome of the Nuclear Stress Rule.