Asymmetries in reconstruction

Abstract

this article I will argue, however, that this contrast between arguments and predicates is part of a more general pattern of contrast between referential and nonreferential phrases, in the sense of "referential" that has been shown by Comorovski 1989, Kroch 1989, Rizzi 1990, Cinque 1990, Longobardi 1991 to be relevant to extraction possibilites. I will argue that the contrast comes about because the relevant part of a nonreferential phrase is forced to reconstruct---to lower---at LF in order for the sentences to receive the correct interpretation. It follows from this analysis that LF-lowering feeds Binding Condition C, as suggested independently in Clark 1992. It will also be seen to follow that the behavior of predicates with respect to reconstruction does not constitute evidence for the necessary existence of a trace in the specifier of the fronted predicate; and, moreover, that there are data inconsistent with this analysis. 2 Apparent predicate/non-predicate asymmetries