On pre-nominal classifying adjectives in Polish 225
(7) [DP D^0 [ClassP N^0 i [NP classifying adjective ti]]
(Rutkowski & Progovac 2005: 293, example (21))
The projection in question (to which the head N is raised) is labelled “Classifying
phrase” (ClassP) in Rutkowski & Progovac (2005), while Rutkowski (2007, 2009 , 2012 )
identifies ClassP with nP. Qualifying adjectives are assumed to be APs base gener-
ated as specifiers in various (iterative) functional projections above NP (and above
ClassP/nP). Hierarchies of such functional projections are given, among others, by
Cinque (1994) and Scott (1998).
The theoretical framework outlined by Rutkowski & Progovac (2005) or Rut-
kowski (2007, 2009 , 2012 ) predicts that qualifying adjectives occur pre-nominally
whereas classifying adjectives must invariantly be placed post-nominally. It will be
shown in this paper that Polish shows a more complex pattern and that a purely deri-
vational account cannot always explain interpretive differences between QAs and CAs.
Yet another prediction follows from the assumptions taken by Rutkowski &
Progovac (2005) or Rutkowski (2007, 2009 , 2012 ). While functional projections host-
ing qualifying adjectives are iterative (allowing for the occurrence of several qualifying
adjectives in a given phrase), ClassP/nP is not iterative, thus permitting the presence
of no more than one classifying adjective in a noun phrase. This is shown in the tree
diagram given below after (Rutkowski 2012: 122, Example (3)).
(8)
D^0 αPDPAP α′ Iteration within the αP complexα^0 αPAP α′α^0 αPAP α′α^0 NPAP N′NCLASSIFYING
ADJECTIVEQUALIFYING
ADJECTIVEQUALIFYING
ADJECTIVEQUALIFYING
ADJECTIVE