Week 12 - Syntax: Relative Clauses and Passives Tuesday, November 20, 2018 3:59 PM Relative Clauses - A relative clause is a qualifying clause that occurs inside NP - Essentially an N' adjunct - Resemble Wh questions: can begin with a Wh word like who or which. Also leaves a g apparently moved from - Relativization - when a Wh word moves to the Specifier of CP of a relative clause. - Subject relativization - a Wh moves from the subject position in SpecTP to the spec of Summary - N' Adjuncts - Uses a relativization feature [+Rel] in C which triggers Wh movement. - A Wh word moves from with TP to Spec-CP Adjuncts in NP - Three types of adjuncts can occur in NP ? Adjectival phrases ? Prepositional phrases ? Relative clauses Passives - Active constructions: logical subject Np in Spec-TP Logical object in object position · Eg the thief stole a painting ? 2 arguments. - Passive Construction: o Logical subject suppressed (implicit) o Logical object in Spec TP · Eg a painting was stolen. ? The object NP moves to Spec-TP ? 1 Argument Key properties of English Passive - Presence of a passive marker auxiliary be - Absence of a logical subject NP - Movement of another NP, typically the logical object, to Spec-TP Descriptive Generalizations
- Movement of another NP, typically the logical object, to Spec-TP Descriptive Generalizations - Passive marker be apparently makes subject implicit - Infinite (tensed) clauses Canonical Argument Positions - vP is a bare predication structure. Motivating NP Movemen