A case study in underspecification of UG: External Pair Merge of v and T

Abstract

Previous works have explored the options of Pair Merging R and v as well as T and C, respectively, yielding R‐v and T‐C with various consequences. This paper proposes that v and T can yield the complex head v‐T, an amalgam formed by external Pair Merge. Some empirical ramifications for the verb cluster and the middle field in German are explored. If tenable, the current approach supports the idea that heads can Merge freely, either by internal or external Set Merge, as well as by internal or by external Pair Merge.