Suggested Answers and Hints - Chapter 7Q7 Operators are elements that indicate a process necessary in order to be able to
work out the meaning of a clause that contains them. For example, fronted wh-
elements are operators as they signify that the clause should be interpreted as
interrogative, or ’whether’ is analysed as a general interrogative operator introducing
subordinate yes-no questions similarly to its non-overt counterpart appearing in matrix
yes-no questions. (Quantificational pronouns like ’everyone’ or ’someone’ are also
operators).
Q8 A-movement (A=argument) is case-motivated (grammatically motivated), e.g.
subject-movement, and the element moving is an argument that ands in an argument
position, while A-bar movement (movement of an argument or non-argument to a non-
argument position) is semantically motivated, e.g. wh-movement where the
interpretation of the clause as interrogative is due to the wh-element moving.
Q9 According to one the motivation behind I-to-C movement is that in
interrogative clauses there is a non-overt bound morpheme occupying the C head
position and movement of the element in I is necessary to support that bound
morpheme. According to the other set of assumptions, I-to-C movement is triggered by
the C head position being empty and the requirement that it be filled. The element in I
moves to satisfy that requirement. It is assumed that a main clause interrogative, where
I-to-C movement occurs, cannot contain an overt complementizer (as opposed to
embedded interrogatives). But the clause has to be marked as interrogative, thus the
auxiliary moves to the empty head position, thereby providing a head the wh-element
in [Spec, CP] position can agree with.
Q10 ‘Whether’ differs from other complementizers in that it can introduce both
finite and non-finite clauses. Secondly, as opposed to other complementizers, it can be
coordinated with the negative particle not. In Old English ‘whether’ was used to
introduce yes-no questions, yet Old English clauses were not introduced by
complementizers, so ‘whether’ is assumed not to be one either. Although ‘whether’ is
similar to wh-elements in that they can also introduce finite and non-finite clauses (e.g.
what he should do – what to do; whether he should go – whether (or not) to go), it
differs from wh-elements in that unlike wh-phrases, it is not associated with a gap
inside the clause containing it.
Q11 It is a constraint that bans the co-occurrence of an overt wh-operator and an
overt complementizer in a CP. It can contain only either one or the other, even though
the two are not generated in the same structural position.
Q12 (i) Subjects precede the verb; (ii) the negative particle follows the finite tense
and precedes the verb; (iii) adverbs follow the finite tense and precede the verb.
Q13 Regarding their interpretation, restrictive relative clauses pick and focus on one
element out of a set of elements while non-restrictive relatives add extra information
about the noun they modify. Structurally, restrictive relative clauses may contain a wh-
pronoun or a complementizer or a non-overt element, while non-restrictives can and
must contain a wh-pronoun. A further difference between the two types of relative
clause is that non-restrictives must be inserted between commas or dashes (in speech
there is a pause preceding them). Fourthly, non-restrictives appear to be more distant