Analyticity as an epiphenomenon

Linguistik aktuell, pp. 380–404

Abstract

Abstract This chapter argues that linguistic analyticity, defined as the situation in which there is a one-to-one relation between a bit of meaning and a bit of sound, is an epiphenomenon. Assuming, first, that all heads need to be filled or visited at some point during the derivation of the sentence, and, second, that movement is the default way of realizing this, we observe that separate material is inserted in heads when movement into that head is not possible and the information denoted by the head is not already expressed elsewhere.

Authors 2

1. Lisa Lai-Shen Cheng Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University

2. Rint Sybesma Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University