On the Syntactic Status of Infinitival to

• 발행기관: 경희대학교 언어정보연구소
• 저자명: 조기석(Keeseok Cho)
• 간행물 정보: 『언어연구』제26권 제3호, 147~160쪽, 전체 14쪽
• 주제분류: 인문학 > 언어학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2009.12.30

영문 초록

The purpose of this article is to discuss the syntactic structure of infinitival TP and offer an alternative analysis of the infinitival to. In current generative grammar it is generally assumed that the infinitival TP is headed by the infinitival to. This analysis is dependent on affix hopping of the infinitival to onto a main verb, just as a tense affix undergoes affix lowering to a bare main verb in tensed clauses. The problems of such previous analyses will be discussed with regard to the blocking effect of the negative element not in negative sentences. An alternative idea will be suggested that the infinitival to is not the head of TP but the head of LinkP. Under this alternative analysis we will have to adopt the null Tense for the infinitival TP. So in sentences containing embedded infinitival clauses such as It is possible for John to pass the exam and He hopes to pass the exam, the embedded clause subjects John and PRO are not at the specifier position of the infinitival to, which will be shown to be a link in this study, but at the specifier position of the null Tense.

목차

1. Introduction

2. Predicate-based Syntactic Structure

3. The Problems of the Current Analysis of Infinitival TP

4. An Alternative Analysis of the Infinitival to

5. Conclusions

References

키워드

blocking effect infinitival to link affix hopping null Tense infinitival TP