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On Reducing Control to Movement
Author(s) -
Bowers John
Publication year - 2008
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/j.1467-9612.2008.00103.x
Subject(s) - merge (version control) , predicate (mathematical logic) , sort , computer science , verb , syntax , movement (music) , artificial intelligence , natural language processing , linguistics , programming language , philosophy , information retrieval , aesthetics
. Hornstein (1999, 2001) proposes a version of the movement theory of control (MTC) in which movement of a DP is driven by the need to “receive” a θ‐feature of the verb/predicate it merges with. I argue against the use of θ‐features in syntax on the grounds that they are fundamentally semantic, hence properly belong to the bare output conditions of the C‐I interface. I propose instead a version of the MTC closer in spirit to Bowers (1973/1986, 1981) in which Merge is driven by interpretable or uninterpretable c‐selection features of the standard sort. I then show that, given standard minimalist assumptions, the MTC is not only possible but necessary. I conclude by arguing that the MTC thus formulated supports a purely derivational theory of syntax and interpretation that contains no level of LF.