Uttering and interpreting trees

Abstract

This article first selectively overviews the discussion on the interaction of phonology and syntax offered in Richards (2010), then pursues the same project from a different angle. Pointing out that both wh-in-situ and overt wh-movement express sound-meaning correlations by appealing to some physical marking at surface level, we propose that both should be regarded as instances of overt syntax. Accordingly, the notion 'overt syntax' is redefined as the grammatical procedure that synchronizes PF- and LF-effects. We then argue that the synchronized PF-LF effects of overt syntax can be captured if feature complexes that induce the legibility of linguistic expressions at PF and at LF are encoded into lexical items.