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How to probe expletives
Author(s) -
Abe Jun
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
studia linguistica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.187
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1467-9582
pISSN - 0039-3193
DOI - 10.1111/stul.12057
Subject(s) - linguistics , position (finance) , carry (investment) , computer science , mathematics , philosophy , economics , finance
Abstract This article argues for a Move‐approach to expletive constructions, according to which expletives satisfy the EPP by moving to a designated position rather than by being simply externally merged into it. In particular, I argue that the expletive and its associate form a constituent underlyingly and that the associate carries partitive Case that needs to be checked in accordance with Chomsky's (2008) probe‐goal system. Further, I propose that expletives carry only unvalued ϕ‐features, unlike ordinary DP s. This makes it possible to accommodate those cases in which expletives appear to be involved in default agreement.