Constraint-based Syntax 2: Week 6

Long Distance Dependencies

So far, we have only looked at sentences with Subject-Verb-Complement(s) order. However, under certain circumstances English also permits sentences where some constituent that normally appears after the subject appears before it. Here are some examples, with the name of the construction:

Polar interrogative clauses

Did Lilly dance?
Has Lilly been dancing?

Topicalization clauses

Lilly Fido likes.
Lilly I think that Fido was speaking to.

Non-subject Wh-interrogative main clauses

Who does Fido like?
Who do you think that Fido was speaking to?

Non-subject Wh-interrogative subordinate clauses

I asked who Fido likes?
I asked who you think that Fido was speaking to?

Even though the following clauses display no overt displacement, they are both interrogative clauses and should therefore be analyzed together with the interrogative clauses above.

Subject Wh-interrogative clauses

Who likes Fido.
Who thinks that Fido was speaking to Lilly.

Polar interrogative subordinate clauses

I asked whether Fido likes Lilly
I asked whether you think that Fido was speaking to Lilly.