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Article published In: Linguistic Variation
Vol. 25:1 (2025) ► pp.168–200

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Passive without morphology

A case for implicit arguments

ORCiD logo with link | University of Ghana
Published online: 29 April 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/lv.23047.sul
Abstract
This paper examines the syntax of a novel construction I call Passive without Morphology (PwM) constructions in Bùlì and the question of whether they have projected external arguments. The main proposal that I argue for is that PwM constructions in all their occurrences possess projected implicit external arguments. The discussions presented in the paper provide empirical as well as theoretical support for the classification of passives (Keenan, E. L. and Dryer, M. S. Passive in the world’s languages. In: Shopen, T. ed. Language Typology and Syntactic Description. Vol 11. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2007:325–361. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar) and a theory of passives and implicit arguments (. 2021. Principles of argument structure: a merge-based approach. Ms. New York University.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). This paper argues that the internal argument moves to Spec,TP in two steps: first, the VP moves into Spec, VoiceP and from there the internal argument raises to Spec,TP (Collins, Chris. 2005. A Smuggling Approach to the Passive in English. Syntax 81, 81–120. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar, . 2021. Principles of argument structure: a merge-based approach. Ms. New York University.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar).
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Properties of passive without morphology
  • 3.Diagnosing the external argument
    • 3.1Binding conditions A and B
    • 3.2Control into purpose clauses
    • 3.3Secondary predicates
    • 3.4Entailment and dek
  • 4.Feature specification of the implicit argument
  • 5.Analyzing PwM constructions
    • 5.1Collins on implicit arguments
    • 5.2Analysis of PwM constructions: The implicit argument
    • 5.3Analysis of PwM constructions: The internal argument
  • 6.Alternative analyses: DMA and leapfroging
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (60)
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