Complement Object Deletion 1974

Abstract

The syntax of object deletion is analyzed in a discussion of the processes in English which delete objects in sentences such as "Mary is pretty to look at her," where the deletion of "her" is obligatory. The complements of certain Noun Phrases (NPs) are subject to Object Deletion, as are constructions employing too and enough in which the missing subject of the complement is interpreted as being identical to the subject of the matrix sentence. There exists a rule deleting objects in the complements of certain adjectives and of too and enough, these latter taking another kind of complement which seems syntactically identical to the complement of want. Other such examples are discussed. Lengthy arguments are presented to demonstrate that: (1) Tough Movement does not apply to the type of sentence under question; (2) Sentences such as "John is easy to please" (from "It is easy to please John") are derived not by movement but by deletion; and (3) The Tough Deletion rule required to derive such sentences has the same properties as the proposed Object Deletion rule. In both cases it is the complement object which is deleted under identity with the subject of the sentence. The Object Deletion rule is generalized, and its syntactic properties and applicability conditions are outlined. The Deletion Principle is that: (1) If there is required identity between two strings, and if there is a rule deleting one string under identity with the other, then that rule is obligatory; and (2) If there is not required identity between two strings, and if there is a rule deleting one string under identity with the other, then that rule is optional. R. Laskey