1. Week 12b. Relative clauses CAS LX 522 Syntax I

2. Relative clauses Another place where we see wh- movement, besides in explicit questions (either in the main clause or embedded) is in relative clauses. Another place where we see wh- movement, besides in explicit questions (either in the main clause or embedded) is in relative clauses. The book which I read The book which I read The woman who(m) I met The woman who(m) I met These consist of a head noun (book, woman) and then what appears to be a wh-question that further specifies the referent of the head noun. These consist of a head noun (book, woman) and then what appears to be a wh-question that further specifies the referent of the head noun.

3. Relative clauses Relative clauses serve to modify the head noun. Relative clauses serve to modify the head noun. Kind of like adjectives, or PP modifiers. Kind of like adjectives, or PP modifiers. The unhappy students. The unhappy students. The students from Vancouver. The students from Vancouver. The students who solved the problem. The students who solved the problem. So where would you put them? So where would you put them?

4. Relative clauses The structure of a relative clause is like this. The structure of a relative clause is like this. A [+Q, +WH] CP is adjoined to the NP, like an adjective, or a PP modifier. A [+Q, +WH] CP is adjoined to the NP, like an adjective, or a PP modifier. The meaning is essentially “the man with the property of being the answer to ‘Who did I meet?” ’ The meaning is essentially “the man with the property of being the answer to ‘Who did I meet?” ’ C [+WH] [+Q] C CP IP I met t i man NP D the DPDP NPNP DP i who(m)

5. Quirks The “question” inside a relative clause has a couple of odd properties, not shared with regular main clause or embedded questions. The “question” inside a relative clause has a couple of odd properties, not shared with regular main clause or embedded questions. *The problem what I solved. *The problem what I solved. The problem which I solved. The problem which I solved. The problem which I will solve. The problem which I will solve. The problem I solved. The problem I solved. The problem that I solved. The problem that I solved.

6. Which/that/Ø In addition to being able to say In addition to being able to say The book which Mary read The book which Mary read We can also say We can also say The book that Mary read The book that Mary read and and The book Mary read The book Mary read And they all mean the same thing. So we expect that they would all have basically the same structure (they all have a question adjoined in the NP)—so where is the wh-word in the last two? And they all mean the same thing. So we expect that they would all have basically the same structure (they all have a question adjoined in the NP)—so where is the wh-word in the last two?

7. Op The secret to these last two kinds of relative clauses is Op, the silent wh-word. The secret to these last two kinds of relative clauses is Op, the silent wh-word. That is, the book which Mary read and the book Mary read are really exactly the same except that in one case you pronounce the wh-word, and in the other, you don’t. That is, the book which Mary read and the book Mary read are really exactly the same except that in one case you pronounce the wh-word, and in the other, you don’t. the book [ CP which i Mary read t i ] the book [ CP which i Mary read t i ] the book [ CP Op i Mary read t i ] the book [ CP Op i Mary read t i ]

8. Op It is also possible to pronounce that with Op, giving us: It is also possible to pronounce that with Op, giving us: the book [ CP Op i that [ TP Mary read t i ]] the book [ CP Op i that [ TP Mary read t i ]] Why can’t we pronounce that with which? Why can’t we pronounce that with which? *the book [ CP which i that [ TP Mary read t i ]] *the book [ CP which i that [ TP Mary read t i ]]

9. Doubly-Filled COMP filter The Doubly-Filled COMP filter is the traditional “explanation”. The Doubly-Filled COMP filter is the traditional “explanation”. Doubly-Filled COMP filter: *[ CP wh-word if/that/for…] Doubly-Filled COMP filter: *[ CP wh-word if/that/for…] You can’t pronounce both a wh-word and (a base-generated) C at the same time. Thus: You can’t pronounce both a wh-word and (a base-generated) C at the same time. Thus: the book [ CP Op i [ TP Mary read t i ]] the book [ CP Op i [ TP Mary read t i ]] the book [ CP Op i that [ TP Mary read t i ]] the book [ CP Op i that [ TP Mary read t i ]] the book [ CP which i [ TP Mary read t i ]] the book [ CP which i [ TP Mary read t i ]] *the book [ CP which i that [ TP Mary read t i ]] *the book [ CP which i that [ TP Mary read t i ]]

10. Op Skeptical of Op? Is there really wh-movement of Op, a silent wh-phrase? Skeptical of Op? Is there really wh-movement of Op, a silent wh-phrase? I read the book [ CP which i [ IP Mary said [ CP that [ IP Bill bought t i ]]]]. I read the book [ CP which i [ IP Mary said [ CP that [ IP Bill bought t i ]]]]. *I read the book [ CP which i [ IP Mary wonders [ CP who [ IP bought t i ]]]]. *I read the book [ CP which i [ IP Mary wonders [ CP who [ IP bought t i ]]]]. I read the book [ CP Op i (that) [ IP Mary said [ CP that [ IP Bill bought t i ]]]]. I read the book [ CP Op i (that) [ IP Mary said [ CP that [ IP Bill bought t i ]]]]. *I read the book [ CP Op i (that) [ IP Mary wonders [ CP who [ IP bought t i ]]]]. *I read the book [ CP Op i (that) [ IP Mary wonders [ CP who [ IP bought t i ]]]].

11. Op So if we have a silent wh-phrase, why can’t we ask questions with it? So if we have a silent wh-phrase, why can’t we ask questions with it? Where i did Mary buy this book t i ? Where i did Mary buy this book t i ? When i did Mary buy this book t i ? When i did Mary buy this book t i ? Why i did Mary buy this book t i ? Why i did Mary buy this book t i ? How i did Mary buy this book t i ? How i did Mary buy this book t i ? *Op i did Mary buy this book t i ? *Op i did Mary buy this book t i ? See why? See why?

12. Op Recoverability condition: The content of a null category must be recoverable. Recoverability condition: The content of a null category must be recoverable. the place [Op i (that) Mary bought that book t i ] the place [Op i (that) Mary bought that book t i ] the day [Op i (that) Mary bought that book t i ] the day [Op i (that) Mary bought that book t i ] the reason [Op i (that) Mary bought that book t i ] the reason [Op i (that) Mary bought that book t i ] the way [Op i (that) Mary bought that book t i ] the way [Op i (that) Mary bought that book t i ] In each case, we can tell what the wh- phrase is by looking at the head noun. In each case, we can tell what the wh- phrase is by looking at the head noun.

13. A comment on C Notice that when you use Op, the C—despite being [+Q]—can be pronounced as that. Notice that when you use Op, the C—despite being [+Q]—can be pronounced as that. This seems to mean that that is just a way you can pronounce C if it would otherwise be unpronounced and pronouncing it wouldn’t violate the DFC filter. This seems to mean that that is just a way you can pronounce C if it would otherwise be unpronounced and pronouncing it wouldn’t violate the DFC filter. C [+WH] [+Q] C CP IP I met t i man NP D the DPDP NPNP DP i who(m)

14. Yes/no questions Yes/no questions turn out to be a lot like wh- questions, in the end. First, you can use a wh- word like whether: Yes/no questions turn out to be a lot like wh- questions, in the end. First, you can use a wh- word like whether: I wonder [ CP whether C Pat left] I wonder [ CP whether C Pat left] The DFC applies here too: *I wonder whether that/if Pat left. The DFC applies here too: *I wonder whether that/if Pat left. And you can’t extract a wh-word from inside a yes-no question like this either (SpecCP is full): And you can’t extract a wh-word from inside a yes-no question like this either (SpecCP is full): *What i did Tracy wonder [ CP whether Pat bought t i ]? *What i did Tracy wonder [ CP whether Pat bought t i ]?

15. Yes/no questions You can also use if to introduce yes/no questions: You can also use if to introduce yes/no questions: I wonder [ CP if Pat left] I wonder [ CP if Pat left] but you can’t move wh-words out of those either. but you can’t move wh-words out of those either. *What j did Tracy wonder [ CP if Pat bought t j ]? *What j did Tracy wonder [ CP if Pat bought t j ]? If is almost certainly a head, a C. So what blocks the wh-movement? If is almost certainly a head, a C. So what blocks the wh-movement? SpecCP must be full. Of what? SpecCP must be full. Of what? Well, Op. Well, Op.

16. Matrix yes/no questions What about matrix (main clause) yes/no questions? What about matrix (main clause) yes/no questions? Is there an Op here? Is there an Op here? Although you can’t actually have an overt whether in a main clause yes-no question, Although you can’t actually have an overt whether in a main clause yes-no question, *Whether is there an Op here? *Whether is there an Op here? (Though Shakespeare could: Whether had you rather lead mine eyes or eye your master’s heels?) (Though Shakespeare could: Whether had you rather lead mine eyes or eye your master’s heels?) We assume that it’s the same, there’s an Op in SpecCP of matrix yes-no questions too. We assume that it’s the same, there’s an Op in SpecCP of matrix yes-no questions too.

17. Matrix yes/no questions Did you eat the sandwich? Did you eat the sandwich? the sandwich tktk VDP VP I I IP DP tmtm v vPvP v v VkVk titi eat CP Op C C [+Q] C ImIm [+Past] DP i you

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