Cyclicity and Connectivity in Nez Perce Relative Clauses

Abstract

This article studies two aspects of movement in relative clauses, focusing on evidence from Nez Perce. First, I argue that relativization involves cyclic Ā -movement, even in monoclausal relatives: the relative operator moves to Spec,CP via an intermediate position in an Ā outer specifier of TP. The core arguments draw on word order, complementizer choice, and a pattern of case attraction for relative pronouns. Ā cyclicity of this type suggests that the TP sister of relative C constitutes a phase-a result whose implications extend to an ill-understood corner of the English that-trace effect. Second, I argue that Nez Perce relativization provides new evidence for an ambiguity thesis for relative clauses, according to which some but not all relatives are derived by head raising. The argument comes from connectivity and anticonnectivity in morphological case. A crucial role is played by a pattern of inverse case attraction, wherein the head noun surfaces in a case determined internal to the relative clause. These new data complement the range of existing arguments concerning head raising, which draw primarily on connectivity effects at the syntax-semantics interface.

Raising to Ergative: Remarks on Applicatives of Unaccusatives

“…It follows that themes that raise to ergative (as discussed in the next section) will initially be assigned nominative, and subsequently have their case overwritten. This connects with the proposal for case overwriting discussed in Deal (2016a).…”

“…by Appl), or as a morphological default, reflecting the absence of any case assignment (cp.Schütze 2001, Preminger andKornfilt 2015). Previous research has indicated that both analyses are required for certain portions of Nez Perce grammar: nominative on intransitive subjects involves a [NOM] feature, whereas nominative on leftperipheral DPs in the hanging-topic left dislocation (HTLD) construction is a morphological default(Deal, 2016a). The difference in the status of nominative is revealed by case attraction of relative pronouns.…”

Cophonologies by Ph(r)ase

“…We set aside the question of whether the phasehood of syntactic heads might be sensitive to other syntactic factors(Gallego and Uriagereka 2007;Bošković 2014;Deal 2016), although such proposals do make phonological predictions in the context of a theory like CBP. 7 In the glossing above we depart from the regular glossing convention for Moro, where the 'finite' vowel is typically glossed RTC for root clause.…”

Compositional paths to de re

“…In (27), we see this for a relative clause island. (On the islandhood of relative clauses in Nez Perce, see Deal (2016a).) The judgment can also be replicated in other island configurations, e.g.…”

“…The data in this paper come from fieldwork conducted with two speakers, Bessie Scott and Florene Davis, on the Nez Perce Reservation in Lapwai, Idaho, over an approximately ten-year period. Descriptions of various aspects of Nez Perce grammar may be found in Aoki 1970, Rude 1985, 1992, 1999, Crook 1999, and Deal 2010a,b, 2011, 2013, 2016a,b,c, 2017a,b, 2018, To appear, among other sources. Here, I will focus selectively on aspects of the language which prove especially relevant for understanding the composition of its attitude reports.…”