Case Absorption and Wh-Agreement

Abstract

This vol in the Studies in Natural Language and Linguistic Theory series consists of a Preface & 4 Chpts presenting an extensive revision of the central portion of Watanabe's 1993 dissertation Agr-Based Case Theory and Its Interaction with the A-Bar System (1993 [see 9501173]). A minimalist theory of Case checking & Case absorption is proposed, attributing the latter to impoverishment of phrase structure & modifying existing Case checking accounts by a three-layered Case checking hypothesis. In both Case checking & Case absorption, a Case feature is routed to an Agr node, permitting the rest of the structure to converge. Evidence supporting the hypothesis is adduced from analyses of Northern Italian subject clitic doubling & participial & causative constructions of a wide variety of languages; a morphological treatment of wh-agreement is presented & exemplified by Palauan extraction phenomena. Bibliog. J. Hitchcock