On/t-Extraposition Construction By Phases

The term "extraposition" is used to refer to a mechanism of syntax that alters word order in such a manner that a relatively "heavy" constituent appears to the right of its canonical position. Extraposition occurs quite frequently in English and related languages. The focus of this thesis on it-extraposition in English, the particular type of extraposed structures in which the dummy expletive pronoun it is introduced by extraposition, as exemplified by the following:(1) a. It is surprising that John went to London, b. I regret it profoundly that you disagree.In cases of it-extraposition, extraposition is not optional, but rather it is obligatory, when it appears in the canonical surface subject position or object position. Another property of it-extraposition that distinguishes it from canonical cases is that the extraposed constituent is usually a clause (finite or non-finite).There have been two basic different theoretical analyses of it-extraposition in the literature on generative syntax. The traditional analysis regards it-extraposition as the result of the rightward movement of the clauses. On this analysis, the embedded clause is first base-generated in its canonical position. To increase right-branching it then moves rightward to its surface position. Under the leftward movement analysis of it-extraposition, it is claimed that it-extraposition constructions are raising-to-subject or raising-to-object constructions that are derived via syntactic movement of the expletive it leftward. There are, however, many problems with such movement analyses of it-extraposition.In this thesis, I propose a non-movement analysis of it-extraposition constructions. Following Chomsky (1999,2004,2005), I argue that expletive it can only be merged with a constituent which does not contain a nominal or pronominal expression with active case or f-features. Under the analysis proposed in this thesis, in the case of a subject it-extraposition structure like It is said that he has taken bribes, the expletive pronoun it originates in spec-V. This means that the passive participle said merges with its CP complement that he has taken bribes to form the V-bar said that he has taken bribes. This V-bar is then merged with the expletive pronoun it, deriving the VP it said that he has taken bribes. The resulting VP merges with a present tense T constituent containing the passive auxiliary BE, so deriving the T-bar BE it said that he has taken bribes. At this point, BE can serve as an active probe which locates the c-commanded expletive pronoun it as an active goal (both BE and it being active by virtue of their uninterpretable person/number/features). Via agreement, the goal it values the unvalued person/number features on the probe BE. The T-auxiliary BE will be spelled out as the third person singular present tense form is. At the same time as agreement applies, the EPP feature on the T-auxiliary BE attracts the goal it to move to spec-T. Feature Deletion results in deletion of the uninterpretable person/number features on both probe and goal, and of EPP feature on the probe. Simultaneous application of agreement, case-marking, movement and deletion thus derives the structure It is said that he has taken bribes. Since the initially unvalued person/number features on BE have been valued, and all uninterpretable features on both BE and it have been deleted, the relevant derivation converges. In the case an object it-extraposition structure like I very much doubt it that he will leave, it is supposed that the expletive it originates in spec-CP and serves to’absorb’ the accusative case feature which the transitive verb doubt would otherwise be unable to assign to its clausal complement, because CPs of the relevant kind are caseless.