PRO Versus Null SE: Case, Tense, and Empty Categories in Tongan

Abstract

Abstract. This paper examines the null arguments occurring in adverbial ‘o ‐clauses in Tongan, whose characteristics are distinct from other kinds of empty categories attested in the language. I argue (a) that the empty category in question should be understood as a phonetically null SE anaphor and (b) that local‐ and medium‐distance binding of SE anaphors must be licensed by Agree with the functional category that assigns the primary case (i.e., T in accusative languages and v in ergative languages). The study also observes that ‘o ‐clauses are similar to telic to ‐clauses in English as well as control subjunctives in Balkan languages in that they contain anaphoric tense, and suggests that some instances of what has been regarded as PRO in the literature might be better understood as an instance of a null SE.