Behavioral Properties of Subjects:
matrix coding as subject
Matrix Clause
S
NP
VP
V
S-bar
Embedded Clause
S
COMP
It
seems that
NP
VP
they have left.
Behavioral Properties of Subjects:
matrix coding as subject
S
NP
S
VP
V
NP
S-bar
VP
V
VP-bar
S
COMP
It
seems that
NP
VP
VP
COMP
they have left. They seem to
have left.
Behavioral Properties of Subject:
Matrix Coding as Subject
• Seem takes one semantic argument.
• Two syntactic subcategorization frames
– Dummy subject and tensed clause
– Subject and infinitive clause missing a subject
• Subject of embedded clause is coded as
subject of matrix clause
– Occurs before the matrix verb in English
– Matrix verb agrees with it
Behavioral Properties of Subject:
Matrix Coding as Subject
• What does this have to do with subjects?
• Only the subject of the embedded clause
can be removed from the lower clause and
coded as the matrix clause subject.
– * They seem I to have seen ____.
– * The knife seems I to have cut the bread with.
What is the subject of these
sentences?
•
•
•
•
There is a problem.
There are problems.
In this village lives a wise man.
In this village live many people.
Matrix coding as subject: more
commonly known as Raising-to-Subject
Lower clause subject is raised to be
the subject of the matrix clause.
S
NP
S
VP
V
NP
S-bar
VP
V
VP-bar
S
COMP
It
seems that
NP
VP
VP
COMP
they have left. They seem to
have left.
Behavioral Properties of Subjects: Matrix
Coding as Object: a.k.a. Raising-to-Object or
Exceptional Case Marking
• Believe takes to semantic arguments.
• Two syntactic subcategorization frames:
• Subject and tensed embedded clause.
• Subject, object, and infinitive VP
• I believe that they have left.
• I believe them to have left.
Matrix Clause
S
NP
VP
V
S-bar
S
COMP
NP
I believe that they
Embedded Clause
VP
have left
S
NP
VP
V
NP
VP-bar
COMP VP
I
believe them
to have left
S
NP
Raising-to-Object: We will
use this one in this class.
VP
V
NP
VP-bar
COMP VP
I
believe them
to have left
S
NP
VP
Exceptional Case Marking: we
will not use this one.
S
V
NP
VP-bar
COMP VP
I
believe them
to
have left
Evidence that them is direct object of the
matrix clause
• It is in the accusative case.
• It can be the subject of the passive of the matrix
verb.
– They are believed to have left.
• Tests for constituency:
– Class participation
• Coordination
• Movement
• Pronoun substitution
Behavioral property of subjects only
• Only the subject of the lower (embedded)
clause can be raised up to be the object of
the matrix clause.
– Leslie believes that the police have arrested
Chris.
– Leslie believes the police to have arrested
Chris.
– *Leslie believes Chris the police to have
arrested.
Test with raising to object
• There are some problems.
• In the village live many people.
Using passive to make patients raisable
•
•
•
•
•
•
It seems that Chris ate a sandwich.
It seems that a sandwich was eaten by Chris.
A sandwich seems to have been eaten by Chris.
I believe that Chris ate a sandwich.
I believe that a sandwich was eaten by Chris.
I believe a sandwich to have been eaten by Chris.
Raising in Malagasy
• See handout
Behavioral Properties of Subjects:
Control by Matrix Subject
• Pat is the agent of try and the agent of open.
• Pat is also the subject of both verbs.
S
NP
VP
V
VP-bar
VP
COMP
Pat tried to
open the window
Control by matrix subject: a.k.a.
Equi NP Deletion
• Pat tried Pat to open the window.
• Pat tried __ to open the window.
Control as a properties of subjects.
• Pat tried ___ to open the window.
controller
controllee
Only the subject of the lower (embedded) clause
can be the controllee:
* Pat tried Kim to see ___
Seem and Try
(more about this later in the semester)
• The cat seems to be out of
the bag.
• There seems to be a
problem.
• That seems to be my
husband.
• The doctor seemed to
examine Sam.
• Sam seemed to be
examined by the doctor.
• The cat tried to be out of
the bag.
• *There tried to be a
problem.
• That tried to be my
husband.
• The doctor tried to
examine Sam.
• Sam tried to be examined
by the doctor.
Control by Matrix Object
S
NP
VP
V
NP
VP-bar
COMP VP
I persuaded Pat
to leave
Control by Matrix Object
• Pat is the direct object of persuade and the
subject of leave.
– The matrix object (controller) and embedded
subject (controllee) are the same.
• Only the embedded subject can be the
controllee.
– *Pat persuaded Sam the doctor to examine.
Believe and Persuade
• I believe the cat to be out
of the bag.
• I believe there to be a
problem.
• I believe that to be my
husband.
• I believe Pat to have
opened the window.
• I believe the window to
have been opened by Pat.
• I persuaded the cat to be
out of the bag.
• *I persuaded there to be a
problem.
• I persuaded that to be my
husband.
• I persuaded Pat to have
opened the window.
• ? I persuaded the window
to have been opened by
Pat.
Using passive to make patients
controllable
• I believe that Sam opened the window.
• I believe the window to have been opened
by Sam.
• I believe the window to have been opened
by Sam.
• I perusaded the doctor to examine Sam.
• I persuaded Sam to be examined by the
doctor.
Control in Malagasy
• See handout.
Control of Adjunct Clauses
• Having just arrived in town, Sam called his
mother.
• Having just hurt herself, Sam called his mother.
• What can be the controller?
– Matrix subject?
– Matrix object?
• What can be the controllee?
– Embedded subject?
– Embedded object?
Conjunction Reduction
• Bill saw Sam and left.
– Who left?
• Bill saw Sam and greeted him.
– Who greeted someone?
• *Bill(i) saw Sam(j) and he(i) greeted ___(j).
• What can be the controller of conjunction reduction?
• What can be the controllee of conjunction reduction?
See handout
• Conjunction reduction in Malagasy.
• Conjunction reduction and control in Tindi.