CAS LX 522 Syntax I

Episode 5a. TP, Agree, and ourEpisode 5a. TP, Agree, and ourquickly growing treequickly growing tree

5.1-5.35.1-5.3

CAS LX 522CAS LX 522Syntax ISyntax I

On beyond On beyond vv Our trees have now expanded beyond Our trees have now expanded beyond being mere VPs to being being mere VPs to being vvPs.Ps.

The Hierarchy of Projections: The Hierarchy of Projections: vv > V > V Once you have finished the VP (uninterpretable Once you have finished the VP (uninterpretable selection features are checked), if there’s a selection features are checked), if there’s a v v on the workbench, Merge it.on the workbench, Merge it.

The UTAH:The UTAH: NP, daughter of NP, daughter of vvP: AgentP: Agent NP, daughter of VP: ThemeNP, daughter of VP: Theme PP, daughter of VPP, daughter of V: Goal: Goal NP, daughter of VNP, daughter of V: Possessee: Possessee

But this is only the beginning.But this is only the beginning.

Auxiliaries and modals Auxiliaries and modals and verbsand verbs

Consider the following:Consider the following: I ate.I ate. I could eat.I could eat. I had eaten.I had eaten. I was eating.I was eating. I had been eating.I had been eating. I could have eaten.I could have eaten. I could be eating.I could be eating. I could have been eating.I could have been eating.

So: So: couldcould, , havehave, , bebe, , eateat. How do we . How do we determine what form each verb takes?determine what form each verb takes?


What are these things?What are these things? Have: Perfective (aspect)Have: Perfective (aspect)

I have eaten. I had eaten.I have eaten. I had eaten. Be: Progressive (aspect)Be: Progressive (aspect)

I am eating. I was eating.I am eating. I was eating. Could: ModalCould: Modal

I can eat. I could eat. I shall I can eat. I could eat. I shall eat. I should eat. I may eat. I eat. I should eat. I may eat. I might eat. I will eat. I would eat.might eat. I will eat. I would eat.


Consider the following:Consider the following: I could have been eating.I could have been eating. *I could be having eaten.*I could be having eaten. *I was canning have eaten.*I was canning have eaten. *I had cannen be eating.*I had cannen be eating. *I was having cannen eat.*I was having cannen eat. *I had been canning eat.*I had been canning eat.

It looks like there’s an order:It looks like there’s an order: Modal, Perf, Prog, verb.Modal, Perf, Prog, verb.


Suppose:Suppose: HaveHave is of category Perf. is of category Perf. BeBe is of category Prog. is of category Prog. MayMay, , mightmight, , cancan, , couldcould are of category M. are of category M.

They are heads from the lexicon, we They are heads from the lexicon, we will Merge them into the tree above will Merge them into the tree above vvP. Their order is captured by a new P. Their order is captured by a new improved Hierarchy of Projections:improved Hierarchy of Projections:

Modal > Perf > Prog > Modal > Perf > Prog > vv > V > V

Except not every sentence has these. Except not every sentence has these. So:So:

(Modal) > (Perf) > (Prog) > (Modal) > (Perf) > (Prog) > vv > V > V

NegationNegation Consider the following:Consider the following:

I did not eat.I did not eat. I could not eat.I could not eat. I had not eaten.I had not eaten. I was not eating.I was not eating. I had not been eating.I had not been eating. I could not have been eating.I could not have been eating.

Suppose Suppose notnot is of category Neg. is of category Neg. How do we describe where How do we describe where notnot occurs? occurs? How can we fit it into our Hierarchy How can we fit it into our Hierarchy of Projections?of Projections?

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Where does Neg fit?Where does Neg fit? Suppose that we Suppose that we cancan fit Neg in our fit Neg in our Hierarchy of Projections. Just like Hierarchy of Projections. Just like the other things we just added.the other things we just added.

(Modal) > (Perf) > (Prog) > v > V(Modal) > (Perf) > (Prog) > v > V

Where would it go in the HoP, and how Where would it go in the HoP, and how can we explain the word order can we explain the word order patterns?patterns? I could not have been eating.I could not have been eating. I had not been eating.I had not been eating. I was not eating.I was not eating. I did not eat.I did not eat.

Remember Remember vv and how we explained where and how we explained where the verb is in the verb is in I gave a book to EdI gave a book to Ed??

A-ha.A-ha. Picture this:Picture this:

I ?+might not <might> have been I ?+might not <might> have been eating.eating.

I ?+had not <had> been eating.I ?+had not <had> been eating. I ?+was not <was> eating.I ?+was not <was> eating.

So what is So what is ??, then?, then? He did not eat. He ate.He did not eat. He ate. He does not eat. He eats.He does not eat. He eats.

All that All that dodo seems to be doing there seems to be doing there is providing an indication of…is providing an indication of…tense.tense.

HoP revisitedHoP revisited So, now we know where Neg goes. So, now we know where Neg goes. Above all the other things, but Above all the other things, but below tense (category T).below tense (category T).

T > (Neg) > (M) > (Perf) > (Prog) > T > (Neg) > (M) > (Perf) > (Prog) > vv > V > V Just as V moves to Just as V moves to vv, so do, so doPerf, Prog, and M move to T.Perf, Prog, and M move to T.

If Neg is there, you can see it If Neg is there, you can see it happen.happen. They T+shall not <shall> be eating They T+shall not <shall> be eating lunch.lunch.

They T+shall <shall> be eating lunch.They T+shall <shall> be eating lunch.

What does do do?What does do do?

But what about when there’s just a But what about when there’s just a verb and Neg, but no M, Perf, or Prog?verb and Neg, but no M, Perf, or Prog? I ate lunch.I ate lunch. I did not eat lunch.I did not eat lunch.

EatEat clearly does not move to T. clearly does not move to T. But But notnot “gets in the way”, so tense “gets in the way”, so tense cannot “see” the verb. Instead, the cannot “see” the verb. Instead, the meaningless verb meaningless verb dodo is pronounced, to is pronounced, to “support” tense. “support” tense. ““DoDo-support.”-support.”

We will return to the details in due course…We will return to the details in due course…

So, we have TSo, we have T We’ve just added a category T, tense.We’ve just added a category T, tense. The idea:The idea: The tense of a clause (past, The tense of a clause (past, present) is the information that T brings present) is the information that T brings to the structure.to the structure.

T has features like [T, past] or [T, pres]T has features like [T, past] or [T, pres] Or perhaps [T, past] or [T, nonpast].Or perhaps [T, past] or [T, nonpast].

These features are These features are interpretableinterpretable on T. T is on T. T is where tense “lives.” We see reflections of where tense “lives.” We see reflections of these tense features on verbs (these tense features on verbs (givegive, , gavegave, , gogo, , wentwent) but they are just reflections. ) but they are just reflections. Agreement. Agreement. The interpretable tense features The interpretable tense features don’t live on verbs, they live on T.don’t live on verbs, they live on T.

Pat might eat lunch.Pat might eat lunch. We already know how this is We already know how this is supposed to work, to a supposed to work, to a point.point.

Select:Select:PatPat [N, …][N, …]vv [[vv, , uuN, …]N, …]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, …][N, …]mightmight [M, …][M, …]TT [T, past][T, past]

Merge Merge eateat and and lunchlunch, , checking the checking the uuN feature of N feature of eateat (and assigning a (and assigning a -role -role to to lunchlunch, namely Theme—this , namely Theme—this is NP daughter of VP).is NP daughter of VP).

eat[V, uN, …]

lunch[N, …]

NPV

VPv[v, uN, …]

NPPat

Pat might eat lunch.Pat might eat lunch. Select:Select:

PatPat [N, …][N, …]vv [[uuN, …]N, …]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, …][N, …]mightmight [M, …][M, …]TT [T, past][T, past]

Merge Merge vv and the VP and the VP eat luncheat lunch, , in conformance with the in conformance with the Hierarchy of ProjectionsHierarchy of Projections. . vv projects, and still has a projects, and still has a uuN N feature.feature.

NPV

VP

v [v, uN, …]

v[v, uN, …]

eat lunch

NPPat



Merge Merge vv and the VP and the VP eat luncheat lunch, , in conformance with the in conformance with the Hierarchy of Projections. Hierarchy of Projections. vv projects, and still has a projects, and still has a uuN N feature.feature.

Move the V Move the V eateat up to up to vv.. NPV

VP

v [v, uN, …]

v

eat lunch

NPPat



Merge Merge vv and the VP and the VP eat luncheat lunch, , in conformance with the in conformance with the Hierarchy of Projections. Hierarchy of Projections. vv projects, and still has a projects, and still has a uuN N feature.feature.

Move the V Move the V eateat up to up to vv.. Merge Merge PatPat with with vv to check the to check the uuN feature and assign a N feature and assign a -role -role (Agent, this is NP daughter of (Agent, this is NP daughter of vvP).P).

NP<eat>

VP

v [v, uN, …]

vP

NPPat

v+Veat

lunch



So, now what do we do with So, now what do we do with mightmight??

And eat lunch Pat shall.And eat lunch Pat shall. What Pat should do is eat lunch.What Pat should do is eat lunch.

It kind of seems like it goes It kind of seems like it goes between the subject and the between the subject and the verb, but how?verb, but how?

NP

VP

v [v, uN, …]

vP

lunch<eat>

v+Veat

NPPat

Pat might eat lunch.Pat might eat lunch. PatPat [N, …][N, …]

vv [[uuN, …]N, …]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, …][N, …]mightmight [M, …][M, …]TT [T, past][T, past]

If we leave everything as If we leave everything as it is so far (UTAH, it is so far (UTAH, Hierarchy of Projections), Hierarchy of Projections), the only option is to the only option is to Merge Merge mightmight with the with the vvP we P we just built.just built.

So, let’s.So, let’s. NP

VP

v [v, uN, …]

vP

lunch

Mmight[M, …]

<eat>

v+Veat

NPPat



Now, we have one more Now, we have one more thing on our workbench (T) thing on our workbench (T) and the HoP says that once and the HoP says that once we finish with M, we Merge we finish with M, we Merge it with T.it with T.

And so Merge T, we shall.And so Merge T, we shall.NP

VP

v [v, uN, …]

vP

lunch

Mmight[M, …]

MP

<eat>

v+Veat

NPPat



Then, M moves up to T.Then, M moves up to T. Why? Because M, Perf, and Why? Because M, Perf, and Prog all move up to T. For Prog all move up to T. For the same kind of reason the same kind of reason that V moves up to that V moves up to vv..

Right now we have no way to Right now we have no way to describe this in our describe this in our system, except with this system, except with this “rule from the outside” “rule from the outside” that stipulates that V that stipulates that V moves to moves to vv, and , and {M/Perf/Prog} moves to T.{M/Perf/Prog} moves to T.

NP

VP

v [v, uN, …]

vP

lunch

Mmight[M, …]

MP

<eat>

v+Veat

NPPat

T [T, past]

T [TP?]



Ok, that’s all fine and Ok, that’s all fine and good, except that the good, except that the sentence issentence isPat might eat lunchPat might eat lunchnotnotMight Pat eat lunchMight Pat eat lunch

How do we get How do we get Pat might Pat might eat luncheat lunch out of this? out of this?

NP

VP

v [v, uN, …]

vP

lunch

<M>

MP

<eat>

v+Veat

NPPat

T+Mmight

T [TP?]


vv [[uuN, …]N, …]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, [N,

…]…]mightmight [M, [M,

…]…]TT [T, past][T, past]

As previewed in the As previewed in the previous episode, the previous episode, the subject subject movesmoves to this to this first position in the first position in the sentence, around the sentence, around the modal.modal.

““Moving” Moving” PatPat here means here means Merging a copy…Merging a copy…

NP

VP

v

vP

<Pat>

lunch

TP

<eat>

v+Veat

NPPat

<M>

MPT+Mmight

T


vv [[uuN, …]N, …]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, …][N, …]mightmight [M, …][M, …]TT [T, past, [T, past,

…]…]

Great. Why?Great. Why? Jumping ahead, we’re going Jumping ahead, we’re going to say that this is a to say that this is a property of T-type things property of T-type things generally: generally: T needs to have T needs to have an NP in its specifier.an NP in its specifier. We can encode this as a We can encode this as a (special type of) (special type of) uninterpretable feature on uninterpretable feature on T: [T: [uuN*]. More on that N*]. More on that later.later.

NP

VP

v

vP

<Pat>

lunch

TP

<eat>

v+Veat

NPPat

<M>

MPT+Mmight

T

WARNING-WARNING-WARNINGWARNING-WARNING-WARNING

What we’ve done here is What we’ve done here is notnot quite quite the same as what is in the the same as what is in the textbook.textbook.

(But it’s better, (But it’s better, believebelieve me). me). In the textbook, modals are not In the textbook, modals are not treated as their own category, but treated as their own category, but rather as a kind of T.rather as a kind of T.

This revision will pay off soon. Keep This revision will pay off soon. Keep this difference in mind as you review the this difference in mind as you review the textbook on this point. You will see no textbook on this point. You will see no MPs in the book. But you should see them MPs in the book. But you should see them on the homeworks/tests you turn in.on the homeworks/tests you turn in.

What about I?What about I?

A side note here, lest there is some A side note here, lest there is some confusion amongst those who remember confusion amongst those who remember learning something different in the past.learning something different in the past. You may have heard in the past that it tense You may have heard in the past that it tense should be of category I (for should be of category I (for IInflection), rather nflection), rather than T (For than T (For TTense).ense).

Rest easy:Rest easy: T and I are (for current T and I are (for current purposes) just two names for the same thing.purposes) just two names for the same thing.

Historically, this was called INFL, then I, and now Historically, this was called INFL, then I, and now usually called T. But these are just names.usually called T. But these are just names.

Istanbul vs. Constantinople; St. Petersburg vs. Istanbul vs. Constantinople; St. Petersburg vs. Leningrad.Leningrad.

Pat ate lunchPat ate lunch Now that we have T in the Hierarchy of Now that we have T in the Hierarchy of Projections, we’re stuck with it.Projections, we’re stuck with it.

Yet, where is T in Yet, where is T in Pat ate lunchPat ate lunch or or Pat Pat eats luncheats lunch??

It looks like the tense marking is on the It looks like the tense marking is on the verb, we don’t see anything between the verb, we don’t see anything between the subject and the verb where T ought to be.subject and the verb where T ought to be.

Now that we have T, this is where tense Now that we have T, this is where tense features features belongbelong. We take this to be the . We take this to be the thing that determines the tense of the thing that determines the tense of the sentence, even if we sometimes sentence, even if we sometimes seesee the the marking on the verb.marking on the verb.

Pat ate lunchPat ate lunch Since (most) verbs sound different Since (most) verbs sound different when in the past and in the present when in the past and in the present tense, we suppose that there is a tense, we suppose that there is a [past] or [present] feature on the [past] or [present] feature on the verb.verb.

However, to reiterate:However, to reiterate:tense belongs on T.tense belongs on T.

The tense features on the verbs are The tense features on the verbs are uninterpretable.uninterpretable.

Feature classesFeature classes You may recall that we at one point talked about divide You may recall that we at one point talked about divide features into types; now’s the time it matters.features into types; now’s the time it matters.

There are There are tensetense features. Like features. Like pastpast, like , like presentpresent. There are . There are casecase features. Like features. Like nomnom, , like like accacc. There are . There are personperson features. Like features. Like 1st1st, like , like 2nd2nd. There are . There are gendergender features. features. Like Like masculinemasculine, like , like femininefeminine..

So, we can think of this as a feature So, we can think of this as a feature category or feature category or feature typetype that has a that has a valuevalue.. [Gender: [Gender: masculinemasculine]] [Person: [Person: 1st1st]] [Tense: [Tense: pastpast]] [Case: [Case: nomnom]]

AgreeAgree

T nodes have features of the tense type. T nodes have features of the tense type. Maybe past, maybe present.Maybe past, maybe present.

Suppose that Suppose that vv has an uninterpretable has an uninterpretable feature of the tense type, but feature of the tense type, but unvaluedunvalued.. What we’re trying to model here is What we’re trying to model here is agreementagreement..

AgreeAgreeIn the configuration X[F: val] … Y[In the configuration X[F: val] … Y[uuF: ]F: ]F F checkschecks and and valuesvalues uuF, resulting inF, resulting inX[F: val] … Y[X[F: val] … Y[uuF: val]F: val]

Unvalued featuresUnvalued features The idea is that a lexical item might have The idea is that a lexical item might have an an unvaluedunvalued feature, which is feature, which is uninterpretable as it stands and needs to be uninterpretable as it stands and needs to be given a given a valuevalue in order to be interpretable. in order to be interpretable.

The statement of Agree on the previous slide isThe statement of Agree on the previous slide isessentially saying just that, formally.essentially saying just that, formally.

This gives us This gives us two kinds of uninterpretable two kinds of uninterpretable featuresfeatures ( (unvaluedunvalued and and regular-oldregular-old uninterpretable privative features), and two uninterpretable privative features), and two ways to check them (ways to check them (valuingvaluing for unvalued for unvalued features, features, checkingchecking under sisterhood for the under sisterhood for the other kind).other kind).

Unvalued [Unvalued [uuF: ]. Regular-old [uF].F: ]. Regular-old [uF].

Pat ate lunchPat ate lunch

So, back to So, back to Pat ate lunchPat ate lunch.. T has a tense feature, e.g., [T, past, T has a tense feature, e.g., [T, past, …].…].

We need to make a connection between the We need to make a connection between the tense feature on T and the tense tense feature on T and the tense morphology we see on the verb.morphology we see on the verb.

Here’s how:Here’s how: Little Little vv has an uninterpretable (unvalued) has an uninterpretable (unvalued) inflectional feature [inflectional feature [uuInfl: ].Infl: ].

It’s “Infl” because we want to include It’s “Infl” because we want to include tense, but also other kinds of features tense, but also other kinds of features later on. But tense features can check and later on. But tense features can check and value unvalued Infl-type features.value unvalued Infl-type features.

Pat ate lunch.Pat ate lunch. PatPat [N, …][N, …]

vv [[uuN, N, uuInfl:, Infl:, …]…]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, …][N, …]TT [T, [T, tense:past, …]tense:past, …]

NP

VP

v

vP

lunch

T[tense:past,T, uN*, …]

<eat>

v[uInfl:]+Veat

NPPat


vv [[uuN, N, uuInfl:, Infl:, …]…]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, …][N, …]TT [T, [T, tense:past, …]tense:past, …]

AgreeAgreeIn the configurationIn the configurationX[F: val] … Y[X[F: val] … Y[uuF: ]F: ]F F checkschecks and and valuesvalues uuF, resulting inF, resulting inX[F: val] … Y[X[F: val] … Y[uuF: F: val]val] NP

VP

v

vP

lunch


T [T, uN*, tense:past, …]

<eat>

v[uInfl:past]+Veat

NPPat


vv [[uuN, N, uuInfl:, …]Infl:, …]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, …][N, …]TT [T, tense:past, [T, tense:past, …]…]

Last point, how does Last point, how does this come to be this come to be pronounced pronounced Pat ate Pat ate lunchlunch??

T isn’t pronounced as T isn’t pronounced as anything. It was just a anything. It was just a pure tense feature.pure tense feature.

The “past” The “past” pronunciation of pronunciation of eateat is is ateate, so , so vv+V is +V is pronounced “ate” here.pronounced “ate” here.

NP

VP

v

vP

<Pat>

lunch



TP

<eat>

NPPat

v[uInfl:past]+Veat

Pat had been eating Pat had been eating lunchlunch

The auxiliary verbs The auxiliary verbs havehave and and bebe are used are used in forming the perfect and progressive, in forming the perfect and progressive, respectively, which are additional forms respectively, which are additional forms that a verb can take on.that a verb can take on. Pat has eaten lunch. Pat is eating lunch.Pat has eaten lunch. Pat is eating lunch.

The generalization was that The generalization was that havehave and and bebe each each determine the form that the next verb/auxiliary determine the form that the next verb/auxiliary takes.takes.

We have a means of explaining this now: We have a means of explaining this now: havehave and and bebe each have a [ each have a [uuInfl: ] Infl: ] feature, like feature, like vv does, and categories does, and categories Perf and Prog can Perf and Prog can valuevalue [ [uuInfl: ] Infl: ] features.features.

Valuing [Valuing [u u Infl: ]Infl: ]

A concise statement of the things with A concise statement of the things with [[uuInfl:] and the things that can value Infl:] and the things that can value [[uuInfl:]:Infl:]:

(So far; there will be small revisions later…)(So far; there will be small revisions later…)

These have [These have [uuInfl: ] features:Infl: ] features: vv, M, Perf, Prog, M, Perf, Prog

[[uuInfl: ] features can be valued (via Agree) Infl: ] features can be valued (via Agree) by:by:

Tense features (past, present) of T. Tense features (past, present) of T. --ss or or -ed-ed.. Perf feature of Perf. Perf feature of Perf. -en-en.. Prog feature of Prog. Prog feature of Prog. -ing-ing.. M feature of M. M feature of M. --ØØ (silent) (silent)

Pat [past] ha-d be-en eat-ing lunch.Pat [past] ha-d be-en eat-ing lunch.

Pat had eaten lunch.Pat had eaten lunch. PatPat [N, …][N, …]

vv [[uuN, N, uuInfl:, Infl:, …]…]havehave [Perf, [Perf, uuInfl:, …]Infl:, …]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, …][N, …]TT [T, [T, tense:past, …]tense:past, …]

NP

VP

v

vP

<Pat>

lunch

T[tense:past, T, uN*, …]


TP

<eat>

NPPat

v[uInfl:perf]+Veaten

Perf[Perf, uInfl:past]

had

PerfP

Pat was eating lunch.Pat was eating lunch. PatPat [N, …][N, …]

vv [[uuN, N, uuInfl:, Infl:, …]…]bebe [Prog, [Prog, uuInfl:, …]Infl:, …]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, …][N, …]TT [T, [T, tense:past, …]tense:past, …]

NP

VP

v

vP

<Pat>

lunch



TP

<eat>

NPPat

v[uInfl:prog]+Veating

Prog[Prog, uInfl:past]

was

ProgP

Pat should eat lunch.Pat should eat lunch. PatPat [N, …][N, …]

vv [[uuN, N, uuInfl:, Infl:, …]…]may may [M, [M, uuInfl:, Infl:, …]…]eateat [V, [V, uuN, …]N, …]lunchlunch [N, …][N, …]TT [T, [T, tense:past, …]tense:past, …]

NP

VP

v

vP

<Pat>

lunch



TP

<eat>

NPPat

v[uInfl:M]+Veat

M[M, uInfl:past]

might

MP

CAS LX 522 Syntax I

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