A study of determiner phrase of Spanish, English and Korean
Abstract
Following the assumptions of Cinque (1994,1999,2002), Giusti(1999) and
Bruge (2002) that there are multiple functional projections in the extended
Nominal Projections (DP), and that the Demonstrative base-generates in the
specifier position of a FP (Functional Projection), this study presents a minimalist
approach to the analysis of the Determiner Phrase of Spanish, English and
Korean.
The primary claim of this study is that the cross-linguistic word order
variations and the co-occurrence of the modifiers within the extended Nominal
Projections in Spanish, Korean, and English can be accounted for in a unified
analysis based on the movement of Demonstrative and the head Noun before or
after Spell-Out, and the parameter of strong and weak feature of functional
category in the terms of Chomsky(1995).
In respect to the pre- and postnominal positions of demonstrative in
Spanish, the selection depends on the types of movement of demonstrative for
[+Ref] functional feature checking. In other words, in the case of the postnominal
demonstrative, the movement of Demonstrative for [+Ref] feature checking in
Spec-Head configuration is after Spell-Out, whereas the movement of
Demonstrative in prenominal position is overt. On the other hand, in Korean and
English the obligatory prenominal demonstrative results from the movement
being before Spell-Out.
According to Chomsky’s theory of feature strength, the present study
postulates that the [±Ref] feature is strong in Korean and English, but can be
strong or weak in Spanish.
Likewise the crosslinguistic difference regarding the position of APs in
DP is attributed to the parametric variation of N movement. The movement of N
to the head of a functional projection which is higher than the FP where the
adjective is base-generated derives the postnominal adjective in Spanish, whereas
the prenominal adjective in Korean and English is due to the absence of this
movement before Spell-Out.
With respect to the variation of structural position of the possessive in
Spanish, English and Korean, I claim that the possessive is universally basegenerated
in the specifier position of an intermediate FP between DP and NP, and
then moves up as far as functional projection, the so-called
AgrGP(AgrGenitivePhrase) immediately dominated by DP, for [+Poss] feature
checking. The postnominal possessive in Spanish can be accounted for by the
covert movement of feature checking, whereas the prenominal clitic forms of
possessive are derived by the overt movement for the [+Poss] feature checking
before Spell-Out. As for the prenominal possessive in Korean and English, I argue
that [+Poss] feature checking must be overt.
Regarding the [+Def] feature checking in Korean, I claim that the particle
‘-n(un)’ which functions as a topicality marker is base generated with [+Def]
feature. ‘-(n)un’ is a bound morpheme which is always attached to the noun as a
suffix. Taking into account the position of attributive adjectives which are always
prenominal, I argue that [+Def] feature checking of ‘-(n)un’ against D° in DP
takes place covertly after Spell-Out.
Department
Description
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