Null Subjects in Tensed Clauses

• 영문명: Null Subjects in Tensed Clauses: A Brief Overview
• 발행기관: 동덕여자대학교 인문과학연구소
• 저자명: 문지순(Grace Ge-Soon Moon)
• 간행물 정보: 『人文學硏究』第12輯, 43~54쪽, 전체 12쪽
• 주제분류: 인문학 > 기타인문학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2006.02.28

영문 초록

The occurrence of the null subject in English tensed clauses--especially in informal, colloquial speech and in specialized registers such as diaries and product labels--has received much attention in the literature. While numerous scholars have attempted to account for this phenomenon, no single analysis has yet succeeded in explaining all instances of the tensed clause null subject. In this paper, I briefly overview and assess some of the past analyses on the null subject phenomenon. Rejecting the non-sentential analysis as untenable, I conclude that tensed clauses with null subjects have sentential underlying structures and, more specifically, that tensed clause null subjects are likely to be either zero topics that pick up discourse identification or the result of a phonological reduction process. The paper closes with a note on the shortcomings of the zero-topic analysis and suggestions for future research.

목차

1. Introduction

2. Non-Sentential Analysis

3. Sentential Analysis

4. Conclusion and Residual Issues

References