Means of control: Deriving the properties of PRO in the minimalist program

Within the Principles and Parameters approach to syntax, it has been considered necessary to stipulate a Theory of Control, to explain the distribution and interpretation of certain instances of unpronounced subjects in non-finite clauses. However, with the advent of the Minimalist Program (Chomsky 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995), the assumptions which made Control Theory necessary (such as the Theta Criterion and the Projection Principle) are either superfluous or have been called into question on independent grounds. In this thesis, the properties of Control Theory--and of PRO, the object of Control Theory--are derived from independently-motivated conditions on movement and feature-checking in the Minimalist Program. The Theta Criterion, a necessary stipulation in GB Theory, is replaced by more minimalist conditions on theta-role assignment at LF. This theory is applied to a variety of languages, showing its empirical as well as its theoretical coverage. I also argue that obligatory and non-obligatory control constructions do not form a natural class. Different theories, derived from the Minimalist Program in different ways, are used to explain the differences (and similarities) between them. Insofar as this proposal is simpler and contains fewer stipulations than Control Theory, as well as having adequate empirical coverage, PRO and Control Theory become redundant and can be eliminated.