Contiguity Theory and Pied-Piping

Abstract

In this article, I apply the conditions of Contiguity Theory (Richards 2016) to the problem of pied-piping. I derive the conditions on piedpiping discovered by Cable (2007, 2010a,b) and account for the connection discovered by Uribe-Etxebarria (2002) between the conditions on wh-in-situ in a given language and the conditions on pied-piping in that language. In the end, as in Cable’s approach, pied-piping dissolves as a phenomenon; the same conditions that determine when overt movement must take place also determine how much material may be pied-piped.