Hardback: ISBN: 3110181185 Pages: ix, 285 Price: Europe EURO 98.00
Abstract:
Generative analyses of comparatives traditionally include two construction
specific ellipsis operations, Comparative Deletion and Comparative
Ellipsis. Drawing from a wide array of new data, the present monograph
develops a novel, directly semantically interpretable analysis of
comparatives which does not require reference to designated deletion
processes. On the one hand, Comparative Deletion is reinterpreted in terms
of overt movement of the degree predicate. The resulting head-raising
analysis contributes to an understanding of various puzzles for
comparatives related to binding, locality and the influence of word-order
variation on the interpretation and size of the ellipsis site. On the other
hand, it is argued that Comparative Ellipsis can entirely be subsumed under
standardly sanctioned ellipsis operations such as Gapping, Right Node
Raising and Across-the-Board-movement. In addition, the study presents
arguments for an ellipsis analysis of phrasal comparatives (such as
Millhouse saw more movies than Bart). Empirical support for this conception
derives, among others, from the complex interdependencies between ellipsis
and serialization in English and German, and the binding properties of
remnants inside the comparative complement. The study is directed towards
readers interested in formal syntax and the syntax/semantics interface.
Date of publication: August 2004
Winfried Lechner is researcher at the Department of Linguistics, University
of Tübingen, Germany.
linguistlist.org>