A Scope Argument against T‐to‐C Movement in Sluicing

Abstract

Most accounts of sluicing assume it is derived by TP deletion at PF; however, C 0 deletion is a viable option, which is even better equipped to explain the Sluicing-Comp Generalization. Nonetheless, this article shows that C 0 deletion must be rejected, because it predicts scope enhancement for modals that raise to C in sluicing when in fact they take scope in T or below it. An implication is that some independent principle must block T-to-C movement under sluicing. The results further confirm that head movement must be a syntactic operation insofar as it affects semantic interpretation.