Is head movement still needed for noun incorporation?

Abstract

This article compares Baker's head-movement analysis of noun incorporation to other nonlexicalist theories of noun incorporation, including Massam's pseudo-incorporation analysis, Van Geenhoven's base generation analysis, and a Koopman/Szabolcsi-style analysis in terms of phrasal movement. It is shown that the head-movement approach captures important facts about noun incorporation in the Mapudungun language that the other theories so far leave unexplained. I conclude that the device of head-movement is still needed in generative theory, despite conceptual concerns about this type of movement raised by some minimalist theorists. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.