Problem Set Two

Dr. Julie Anne Legate Syntax II due: Tues, Sept 12 2006

Japanese Numeral Quantier Float

ASSUMPTIONS YOU SHOULD MAKE: the VP-internal subject hypothesis, specically the version with v P. Also assume that PP adjuncts and low AdvPs are adjoined to VP (not to v P). BACKGROUND YOULL NEED: Japanese exhibits a phenomenon called scrambling. This process can move an object to a position higher than the subject; assume that the object ends up adjoined to IP. (1) a. Gakusei-ga hon-o katta (SOV = base order) student-NOM book-ACC bought Students bought books b. Hon-o gakusei-ga katta (OSV = scrambled order) book-ACC student-NOM bought Student bought books (Books, students bought) Japanese exhibits a phenomenon called numeral quantier oat (like the quantier oat of all in English that we discussed in class). The numeral quantier consists of a number and a nominal classier. CL = nominal classier (similar to English a cup of milk , a sheet of paper , a grain of sand ). Now consider the following data: (2) a. Gakusei-ga hon-o 2-satu kat-ta student-NOM book-ACC 2-CL buy-Past Students bought two books b. Gakusei-ga 2-ri hon-o kat-ta student-NOM 2-CL book-ACC buy-Past Two students bought books c. Hon-o gakusei-ga 2-satu kat-ta book-ACC student-NOM 2-CL buy-Past d. Students bought two books (Books, students bought two) * Gakusei-ga hon-o 2-ri kat-ta student-NOM book-ACC 2-CL buy-Past Two students bought books

Question 1: Explain the patterns of grammaticality in (2).

Now consider the following data: (3) * Kodomo-ga kono kagi-de 2-ri doa-o ake-ta child-NOM this key-with 2-CL door-ACC open-Past Two children opened the door with this key a. Kyaku-ga ryokan-ni 2-ri tui-ta guest-NOM inn-at 2-CL arrive-Past Two guests arrived at the inn b. Doa-ga kono kagi-de 2-tu ai-ta door-NOM this key-with 2-CL open-Past Two doors opened with this key c. Gakusei-ga osu-ni 2-ri ki-ta student-NOM oce-to 2-CL come-Past Two students came to the oce a. * Gakusei-ga zibun-no kane-de 2-ri denwa-si-ta student-NOM self-GEN money-with 2-CL telephone-Past Two students telephoned using their own money * Kodomo-ga geragera to 2-ri warat-ta child-NOM loudly 2-CL laugh-Past Two children laughed loudly.

(4)

(5)

b.

(6)

a. Kuruma-ga doroboo-ni 3-dai nusum-are-ta car-NOM thief-by 3-CL steal-Passive-Past Three cars were stolen by the thief b. Gakusei-ga ano otoko-ni 2-ri koros-are-ta student-NOM that man-by 2-CL kill-Passive-Past Two students were killed by that man.

Question 2: Explain the patterns of grammaticality in (3), (4), (5), (6). Your explanation can be short, but will include a tree for (4b), (5b), and (6a). Now consider yet another set of data involving object experiencer verbs (class 2): (7) a. Faulkner-no hon-ga 2-satu Zyon-o utinome-si-ta Faulkner-GEN book-NOM 2-CL John-ACC bowl.over-Past Two of Faulkners books bowled John over b. * Faulkner-no hon-ga Zyon-o 2-satu utinome-si-ta Faulkner-GEN book-NOM John-ACC 2-CL bowl.over-Past Two of Faulkners books bowled John over a. Ii sirase-ga 2-tu Zyon-o zetuboo-e oiyat-ta good news-NOM 2-CL John-ACC despair-to drive-Past Two pieces of good news drove John to despair b. * Ii sirase-ga Zyon-o 2-tu zetuboo-e oiyat-ta good news-NOM John-ACC 2-CL despair-to drive-Past Two pieces of good news drove John to despair

(8)

c.

* Ii sirase-ga Zyon-o zetuboo-e 2-tu oiyat-ta good news-NOM John-ACC despair-to 2-CL drive-Past Two pieces of good news drove John to despair

NOTE: The structure of zetuboo-e oiyat-ta drive to despair is interesting, but dont let it distract you. Just call the whole thing a lexical verb for the purposes of this question. (This makes (8c) obviously bad, but I wanted to give you the example in case you were wondering.) Question 3: As discussed in class, object experiencer psych verbs pose a problem for UTAH/UAH. One solution is the proposal that such verbs are really unaccusative (Belletti & Rizzi), with the theme beginning in object position and then raising to subject position. Comment on this solution in light of the data in (7) and (8).

Class 2 Object Experiencer Verbs

At the end of class, we entertained the suggestion that the subject of class 2 (like preoccupare) object experiencer psych verbs is not a theme but a causer. I gave the following example (in which we assume that Mary is a playwright): (9) The play didnt appeal to Mary (she thought it was terrible); but the play did please Mary (because she was happy to see her rival fail)

Recall that appeal to is class 3 ( like piacere), but please is class 2 (like preoccupare). Here is more data, from Japanese, showing subject experiencer and (class 2) object experiencer pairs: (10) a. Tanaka-ga sono sirase-o yorokon-da Tanaka-NOM that news-ACC be.pleased-Past Tanaka was pleased at that news. b. Sono sirase-ga Tanaka-o yorokob-ase-ta that news-NOM Tanaka-ACC be.pleased-Cause-Past That news pleased Tanaka a. Taroo-ga ongaku-o tanosin-da Taro-NOM music-ACC be.amused-Past Taro was amused at the music b. Ongaku-ga Taroo-o tanosim-ase-ta music-NOM Taroo-ACC be.amused-Cause-Past The music amused Taro

(11)

Question 1 Make an argument, based on these data from English and Japanese, that the subject of class 2 experiencer object verbs is a causer not a theme. (Yes, we need more data from a lot more languages, but this is a start.)

Consider the following data from nominalizations in English. The rst set shows you verbs that dont have an external cause as part of their meaning (participating in unaccusative/transitive pairs). In the transitive a causative head introduces the causer. Notice that these cant include the causer in the nominalization. The second set shows you class 2 object experiencer verbs. (12) a. Bill grows tomatoes. b. (Tomatoes grow.) c. the growth of tomatoes. d. * Bills growth of tomatoes a. Ination diminished his salary. b. (His salary diminished.) c. the diminishment of his salary d. * inations diminishment of his salary a. The bow vibrated the string. b. (The string vibrated.) c. the vibration of the string d. * the bows vibration of the string a. The toys amused the children. b. (the children were amused) c. the childrens amusement d. * the toys amusement (of the children) a. The movie frightened the boy. b. (The boy was frightened) c. the boys fright d. * the movies fright (of the boy) a. The news surprised the mayor. b. (The mayor was surprised.) c. the mayors surprise d. * the news surprise (of the mayo)r

(13)

(14)

(15)

(16)

(17)

Question 2 Make an argument, based on these data, that the subject of class 2 experiencer object verbs is a causer. (Yes, we need more data from a lot more languages, but this is a start.)