Linguistics page
2008
A note on the representation of A-bar chains at the syntax-LF interface
Invited contribution for a special issue of Catalan Journal of Linguistics. It explores an alternative to Trace Conversion based on quantifier decomposition plus a copy deletion mechanism.
An argument in favour of a vP phase boundary in raising, passive, and unaccusative predicates
A joint squib with Naiara Centeno, currently under review for Linguistic Inquiry. We use the sensitivity to phase boundaries of the Spanish determiner sharing construction to show that all types of verbs project a vP-level phase boundary. This conclusion falsifies Chomsky's hypothesis that only transitive predicates project such a phase.
Subject control predicates and the movement analysis of gapping
This squib offers an argument against Kyle Johnson's analysis of gapping, on the basis of examples in which gapping targets a control structure. Currently under review for Linguistic Inquiry.
On the availability of clefts as sources for clausal ellipsis
A companion piece to the previous paper, it uncovers new data concerning the syntax of stripping in Spanish. This is the handout of a talk given at UC Santa Cruz.
Cleaving the interactions between sluicing and P-stranding
Joint work with Cilene Rodrigues and Andrew Nevins, updating the 2006 handout "Exceptional cases of P-stranding under sluicing". Examining Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese data, we propose that, whenever a sluiced wh- word appears without its corresponding preposition, it is because the ellipsis site consists of a cleft rather than a regular interrogative.
On the syntax of adversative coordination
Written-up version of the talk at NELS 38, it updates the And/but handout from 2006. Currently under review for Natural Language and Linguistic Theory.
2007
Verb fronting in Mandarin Chinese
Joint work with Lisa Cheng, where we provide an analysis for two different types of verb-topicalisation-plus-doubling in Mandarin Chinese. This is a handout of a presentation at TABUdag 2007
Constraints on the remnants of Spanish noun ellipsis
Handout for TABUdag 2007, where I argue that certain restrictions on Spanish NP ellipsis can be explained if one assumes a focus position inside the DP. I have abandoned this project, as Luis Eguren has already written a paper where he exploits this analysis.
PhD dissertation: The syntax of heads and phrases: a study of verb (phrase) fronting
My main source of malnutrition, frustration, lack of sleep, and general bad karma for most of the year.
2006
And/but
Handout of my talk at SAM 3 at Tilburg. I argue that but coordination with a sentence fragment in the second conjunct is to be analysed as clausal coordination plus ellipsis, whereas apparently analogous cases with and involve small conjuncts without ellipsis
Exceptional cases of preposition stranding under sluicing
This talk examines cases of sluicing in Spanish where the preposition associated to the wh- word is omitted. I propose that these sluices stem from copular clauses, rather than regular interrogatives. More recently, I have started a collaboration with Andrew Nevins and Cilene Rodrigues, who have independently developed a similar analysis for comparable data in Brazilian Portuguese.
Short negative replies in Spanish
Article in Linguistics in the Netherlands 2006, edited by van de Weijer & Los and published by John Benjamins. A longer version including some interesting quantification data, is available here, but please don't quote without asking me first.
Pronominal doubling under VP topicalisation
Joint paper with Anikó Lipták, which will appear in a special issue of Lingua dedicated to the Hungarian left periphery.
2005
Review of di Sciullo's UG and external systems
Appeared on Linguist List issue 16.3500
Case, argument structure, and A movement in ditransitive constructions
Handout for the talk at LAGB 2005. This version is an expansion of the TABUdag handout. Unfortunately, I never got round to produce the written up version.
Review of Hawkins Efficiency and complexity in grammars
Review that has appeared in Linguist List issue 16.1542
Review of Hualde & Ortiz de Urbina A grammar of Basque
A review to appear in Lingua. Georges Rebuschi has published a similar review in LinguistList issue 14.3478.
Coordination under Right Node Raising
With Mark de Vos, to appear in the proceedings volume of WCCFL 24
Towards a unified theory of movement: an argument from Spanish predicate clefts
Appeared in Leiden Working Papers in Linguistics 2.3 [43-67], special issue for the proceedings of SAM 1.
[NB: this version includes section 4, which was left out of the printed version mainly for space reasons]
2004
Review of Aboh's The morphosyntax of complement-head sequences
Appeared in LinguistList issue 15.2565
Derived vs base generated OV
This version appeared in Leiden Working Papers in Linguistics 1.1. A newer version (available here) will appear in the proceedings volume of WCCFL 24
Word order permutation in Basque as non-feature-driven movement
Newly revised version (June 2005), submitted for publication to Lingua
Verb placement in Basque and the theory of movement
Paper complementary to the above one
Inversion, reconstruction, and the structure of relative clauses
Appeared in Current approaches to Romance linguistics, edited by Auger, Clements & Vance and published by John Benjamins. This is a pre-final uncorrected version.
2003
Review of Hornstein's Move!
Appeared 2004 in Lingua 114. This is a pre-final, uncorrected version
Extraposition as stranding
First year syntax squib
2002
Prenominal relatives in Basque and Antisymmetry
Revised version of my undergraduate dissertation, defended in April 2002
2001
The use of empty categories in syntax
Term paper for a graduate course I took while I was in Manchester as an undergraduate exchange student. Something I'm really proud of :)
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