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.

Subject Wh-interrogative clauses

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

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?

Polar interrogative subordinate clauses

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