Abstract:A theory is proposed that unites the universal locative paradigm consisting of the predicate locative, the existential, and the 'have' predication. This is accomplished by deriving all three from a si...A theory is proposed that unites the universal locative paradigm consisting of the predicate locative, the existential, and the 'have' predication. This is accomplished by deriving all three from a single underlying structure in which a preposition is the head of the predicate phrase. The existential and the 'have' structure, both having a derived locative subject, are differentiated from the predicate locative by the definiteness effect. 'Have' predications of various kinds, including those with 'have' copulas, are claimed to differ from existentials because their locative constituent contains a [+human] argument. Apparently disparate facts from many languages are accounted for and a general explanation is offered for the distinction between a 'have' copula and a 'be' copula.* 1. INTRODUCTION. Much of the excitement in modern syntax lies in discovering that a certain variety of surface structures is reducible to the interaction of a single underlying structure and independently established principles. In this paper I propose such a reduction, in a completely new generative analysis of locative predications. I will argue that expressions like those in 1 and 2 are all derived from a single and maximally simple abstract syntactic structure (Dstructure).'1Read More
Publication Year: 1992
Publication Date: 1992-09-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 623
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