| ROA: | 313 |
|---|---|
| Title: | Som and Optimality Theory |
| Authors: | Edward Keer |
| Comment: | |
| Length: | 25 |
| Abstract: | Som and Optimality Theory Edward Keer University of Massachusetts, Amherst This article argues that the difference between English and Norwegian with respect to the presence of a complementizer in embedded subject questions is attributable to a larger difference between the two languages, namely that Norwegian is a verb second language while English is not. Verb second forces subject wh-phrases to move to the specifier of a higher projection in Norwegian. The movement creates the need for a complementizer. In English, there is no such pressure for subject wh-phrases to move. Therefore there is no need for a complementizer. The so called anti *that-trace effects in Norwegian and the lack of them in English supports the use of ranked and violable constraints in an Optimality-Theoretic system. |
| Type: | Paper/tech report |
| Area/Keywords: | |
| Article: | Version 1 |