The Subject

The Subject

1. German

   • Characteristics of [- null subject] BUT [topic-drop] language
     • identified by discourse-identified operator when third person (referential) (Trutkowski 1)
       • Kennst du den Hans? Know you the Hans? (a) Na klar, _ is’ mein Nachbar. Of course, [he] is my neighbour.
       • Without context: Ø Komme(1st p)/Kommst (2nd p)/*Kommt (3rd p) am besten nachher vorbei.
     • Cannot license pro: [-strong] features (Liceras 1999, 14)
   • [- pronominal agreement] language
     • Synchretism

2. [+/- null subject] parameter

   • Cluster of 4 properties
     • First property: possibility of "pro" in the subject position of tensed clauses [e] hemos encontrado el libro. [e]*have found the book (Liceras et al. 7) ,*_ is’ mein Nachbar. (Trutkowsky206 )
     • Second property: possibility of subjects in post-verbal position:a. [e] Ha comido Juan. b. *[e]has eaten Juan (Liceras et al. 7) c. * [e] hat gegessen Juan.
     • Third property: possibility of an explicit complementizer when the subject of an embedded clause is moved: a. *who do you think that went to Montreal? b. ¿quién crees que se ha ido a Montreal? c. Wer glaubst du, ist nach Montreal gegangen?
     • Fourth property: possibility of "pro" as a non-referential subject with weather verbs and in expletive constructions a. pro llueve. b. it*pro rains. c. es/*pro regnet.
   • Salient property: possibility, or not, of null subject

3. English

   • [- null subject] language
     • Not licensed [- strong] agreement (Liceras 11)
     • Identified by discourse-identified operator (Liceras 13)
     • EXCEPTIONS:
       • Diaries
         • Came to England a couple of days ago.
       • Coordinated sentences
         • I went to buy bananas and ate one.
   • [- pronominal agreement] language

4. Spanish

   • [+ null subject] language
     • Identified by phi-features in agreement (Liceras )
     • Licensed by verbal inflection (SPEC-INFL) (Liceras 10)
   • [+ pronominal agreement] language

5. [+/- pronominal agreement] parameter

   • Cluster of 4 properties (same as [+/- null subject] parameter)

6. the PP approach

   • Extended projection principle (EPP)
     • The necessity for a subject
   • Empty category principle (ECP)
     • Licensing and identification of null elements