<OT> New Posting: ROA-662

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 662-0504

Correspondence in OT Syntax and Minimal Link Effects

Ralf Vogel <rvogel at ling.uni-potsdam.de>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=662


Abstract:
The aim of this paper is the exploration of an optimality
theoretic architecture for syntax that is guided by the
concept of correspondence: syntax is understood as the mechanism
of 'translating' underlying representations into a surface
form. In minimalism, this surface form is called 'Phonological
Form' (PF). Both semantic and abstract syntactic information
are reflected by the surface form. The empirical domain
where this architecture is tested are minimal link effects,
especially in the case of wh-movement.


The OT constraints require the surface form to reflect the
underlying semantic and syntactic representations as maximally
as possible. The means by which underlying relations and
properties are encoded are precedence, adjacency, surface
morphology and prosodic structure. Information that is not
encoded in one of these ways remains unexpressed, and gets
lost unless it is recoverable via the context.


Different kinds of information are often expressed by the
same means. The resulting conflicts are resolved by the
relative ranking of the relevant correspondence constraints.

Comments: draft version, to appear in A. Stepanov, G. Fanselow & R. Vogel, Minimality Effects in Syntax, Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin, 2004
Keywords: syntax, minimality effects, bidirectionality
Areas: Syntax
Type: Book Chapter

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=662