Topics in Portuguese syntax : the licensing of T and D
The purpose of this thesis is to provide a detailed analysis of two phenomena in Portuguese which will be argued to crucially involve the complementiser (C) position: the inflected infinitive and pronominal clitic placement. The analysis is formulated in the Minimalist framework (Chomsky 1993, 1995). In chapter 1 I provide a brief introduction to the discussion, by presenting an outline of the issues to be considered and offering an overview of the proposals to be made. Both chapters 2 and 3 are devoted to the inflected infinitive. In chapter 2 the data is introduced, as well as the main idea behind the analysis suggested here, i.e. that inflected infinitives are possible in languages which make use of a marked option in UG allowing an infinitival T to be associated with Case features, which, in the absence of finite morphology, has to be licensed by C. This process of licensing is the subject of chapter 3. First, a characterisation of the properties of the infinitival T is provided and then the structure of each of the contexts exhibiting inflected infinitives, and in particular the properties of their C-position, are investigated. This leads me to the conclusion that the strategy followed for licensing of
Madeira, Ana Maria Lavadinho
Infinitives; Romance grammar
Topics in Portuguese syntax : the licensing of T and D. The purpose of this thesis is to provide a detailed analysis of two phenomena in Portuguese which will be argued to crucially involve the complementiser (C) position: the inflected infinitive and pronominal clitic placement. The analysis is formulated in the Minimalist framework (Chomsky 1993, 1995). In chapter 1 I provide a brief introduction to the discussion, by presenting an outline of the issues to be considered and offering an overview of the proposals to be made. Both chapters 2 and 3 are devoted to the inflected infinitive. In chapter 2 the data is introduced, as well as the main idea behind the analysis suggested here, i.e. that inflected infinitives are possible in languages which make use of a marked option in UG allowing an infinitival T to be associated with Case features, which, in the absence of finite morphology, has to be licensed by C. This process of licensing is the subject of chapter 3. First, a characterisation of the properties of the infinitival T is provided and then the structure of each of the contexts exhibiting inflected infinitives, and in particular the properties of their C-position, are investigated. This leads me to the conclusion that the strategy followed for licensing of
topics portuguese syntax licensing purpose_provide detail_analysis phenomenon portuguese argue crucially involve position infinitive pronominal clitic placement analysis formulate minimalist_framework chomsky provide_brief introduction discussion present outline issue_consider offer_overview proposal_make devote infinitive data introduce well main idea behind analysis suggest infinitive possible language make_use mark option allow associate case feature absence finite morphology license process licensing subject first characterisation property provided structure context exhibit infinitive particular property position investigate lead_conclusion strategy follow licensing