Browsing by Author "Georgi, Doreen"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Item
    On optional wh-/focus fronting in Igbo: A SYN-SEM-PHON interaction
    (De Gruyter, 2020) Amaechi, Mary; Georgi, Doreen
    This paper discusses surface optionality in focus fronting in the Benue- Congo language Igbo. A focused XP can occur in-situ or ex-situ. We argue that the optionality does not have its origins in the syntax: in fact, exactly one focused XP has to move to the designated focus position in the left periphery in the syntax. The alternation between in-situ and ex-situ rather arises at PF: either the lowest or the topmost copy of the focus chain is pronounced. The choice is determined by semantic-pragmatic factors, i. e., we see an interaction between PF and LF. This constitutes a challenge for a strict version of the Y-model of grammar.
  • Item
    Quirks of subject (non-)extraction in Igbo
    (Ubiquity Presss, 2019) Amaechi, Mary; Georgi, Doreen
    In this paper we present new data on a subject/non-subject extraction asymmetry in Igbo constituent questions. We provide evidence that the superficially morphological phenomenon reflects a deeper syntactic asymmetry: Unlike wh-non-subjects, wh-subjects cannot undergo local  -movement to the left periphery (SpecFoc); rather, they have to stay in their canonical position SpecT. The same constraint also leads to the that-trace effect (absence of the complementizer) in the embedded clause of long subject wh-movement. We argue that what is responsible for the special status of wh-subjects is their high structural position. We provide an optimality-theoretic analysis of the asymmetry that is based on anti-locality: Local subject  -movement is excluded because it is too short. Moreover, we address the nature of apparent wh-in-situ in Igbo.