Publishing Partner: Cambridge University Press CUP Extra Publisher Login
amazon logo
More Info

New from Cambridge University Press!

ad

From Utterances to Speech Acts

By Mikhail Kissine

"Kissine offers a new theory of speech acts which is philosophically sophisticated and builds on work in cognitive science, formal semantics, and linguistic typology. This highly readable, brilliant essay is a major contribution to the field."

--François Recanati, Institut Jean-Nicod

Write better papers faster with Questia!

Academic Paper


Title: Greek 'ECM' and How to Control It
Paper URL: http://www.rdg.ac.uk/AcaDepts/cl/slals/wp6/kotzoglou.pdf
Author: George Kotzoglou
Email: click here to access email
Homepage: http://www.kotzoglou.gr
Institution: University of the Aegean
Linguistic Field: Syntax
Subject Language: Greek, Modern
Abstract: The proper analysis of Exceptional Case Marking (ECM) constructions has been a long-standing problem in Greek syntax. The lack of embedded nonfinite clauses in Greek militates against a mainstream 'raising-to-object' analysis of the phenomenon. In this paper I argue that, despite appearances, Greek quasi-ECM is only superficially related to English ECM, since it is not amenable to a raising analysis (with or without overt movement to the appropriate position of the matrix clause). I also claim that not even an 'influence/reanalysis' approach proves adequate. A number of diagnostics lead me to the conclusion that the accusative-marked ('quasi-raised') DP occupies a position in the matrix clause throughout the derivation. Moreover, the fact that the grammaticality of Greek quasi-ECM constructions depends on the thematic properties of this DP leads me to the conclusion that the constructions in question are control ones and not raising ones. A number of complications that the proposed analysis meets are discussed and an explanation of the subcategorization peculiarities of the quasi-ECM verbs is attempted.
Type: Individual Paper
Status: Completed
Venue: Reading Working Papers in Linguistics 6
URL: http://www.rdg.ac.uk/AcaDepts/cl/slals/wp6/kotzoglou.pdf


Back
Add a new paper
Return to Academic Papers main page
Return to Directory of Linguists main page