6 - A′-movement and X^o movement through COMP

Summary

Introduction

In this chapter, we will examine several constructions whose derivations are standardly assumed to involve movement to CP, the highest projection of clausal structure. As the discussion will show, the claim that operator-like phrases such as interrogatives move overtly to CP in Spanish has been debated in recent literature. In 6.2, we discuss Wh-movement, beginning with a summary of core properties, and then turning to issues of structure – particularly landing sites – as discussed in recent work. Section 6.3 discusses Contrastive Focus Phrases, which have been argued to be derived by A′-movement also. We again review properties of the construction and then the derivation, with emphasis on the landing site. Section 6.4 briefly summarizes several other phenomena that have been analyzed as involving A′-movements, although these constructions lack an overt operator-like element, or in some cases any overt movement. This section begins with “Scrambling” as discussed in Ordóñez (1997), then introduces three constructions that have been argued to be derived via movement of a null operator: parasitic gaps, complex adjectivals, and null indefinite objects. Section 6.5 discusses X^o movement to (and through) the head of CP.

Wh-movement

Traditionally, the “rule” of Wh-movement is assumed to subsume the movement of interrogative phrases in direct and indirect questions, as well as the movement of relative pronouns in relative clauses. Here, the properties of Wh-movement will be illustrated for interrogatives only. For discussion of relative clauses, see Plann (1980), Suñer (1984), Rivero (1990) and Brucart (1994). In this section, we will describe several characteristics of Wh-questions.