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Anaphoric R–Expressions as Bound Variables
Author(s) -
Lee Felicia
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
syntax
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 1467-9612
pISSN - 1368-0005
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9612.00057
Subject(s) - upper and lower bounds , linguistics , mathematics , crossover , combinatorics , computer science , philosophy , artificial intelligence , mathematical analysis
San Lucas Quiaviní Zapotec (SLQZ), an Otomanguean language of Mexico, regularly allows apparent condition B and C violations: R–expressions and pronouns can appear to be locally and nonlocally bound by identical arguments. For this reason, the Zapotec languages have been claimed to be among those in which condition C is not operational. This paper shows, however, that bound names in SLQZ do not constitute condition C violations. Rather, they are anaphoric variables spelled out as copies of their antecedents. Evidence for this proposal comes from the fact that bound copies are interpreted as bound variables in VP–deletion contexts and from the fact that strong crossover effects hold robustly in the language, showing that condition C is operational. This paper also shows that identical facts hold in Thai, another language thought to lack condition C.