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MIT 24 910 - Study Notes

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MIT OpenCourseWarehttp://ocw.mit.edu 24.910 Topics in Linguistic Theory: Propositional Attitudes Spring 2009 For information about citing these materials or our Terms of Use, visit: http://ocw.mit.edu/terms.April 7 24.910, Spring 2009 (Stephenson) For to Infinitives in Belfast English  Reading: Alison Henry, Belfast English and Standard English (OUP, 1995), Chapters 1 and 4. 1. Summary of the Data 1.1. For with lexical subjects – propositional subject / extraposition [Assumption: “lexical” = full NP, including pronoun ?] ¾ Obligatory with lexical subjects in infinitive clauses [3a] For John to win would be amazing. [okStd./okBel.] [3b] * John to win would be amazing. [*Std./*Bel.] ¾ Positioned to the left of the subject: [16a] For him to pay the mortgage would be just as expensive. [okStd./okBel.] [16b] * Him for to pay the mortgage would be just as expensive. [*Std./*Bel.] [17a] It was stupid for them to do that. [okStd./okBel.] [17b] * It was stupid them for to do that. [*Std./*Bel.] ¾ There can’t be two instances of for: [16c] * For him for to pay the mortgage would be just as expensive. [Std./Bel.] [17c] * It was stupid for them for to do that. [Std./Bel.] 1.2. For with lexical subjects – complement of adjective ¾ Positioned to the left of the subject: [18a] Mary was keen for them to be there. [okStd./okBel.] [18b] * Mary was keen them for to be there. [*Std./*Bel.] ¾ No double occurrence: [18c] * Mary was keen for them for to be there. [Std./Bel.] 1.3. For with lexical subjects – complement of want-type verbs ¾ Positioned after embedded subject in complement of want: [20] I wanted Jimmy for to come with me. [*Std./okBel.] [21] I don’t like the children for to be late. [*Std./okBel.] 1April 7 24.910, Spring 2009 (Stephenson) ¾ … including with expletive constructions: [25] I want there for to be some peace and quiet sometime. [*Std./okBel.] [26] I’d hate there for to be ill-feeling. [*Std./okBel.] ¾ Cannot appear before the subject: [20] * I wanted for Jimmy to come with me. [[?]Std./*Bel.] ¾ Not obligatory (in Standard or Belfast Eng.): [23] I wanted Jimmy to come with me. [okStd./okBel.] ¾ Special case: where something comes between the matrix verb and subject: [19a] I want very much for him to get accepted. [okStd./ okBel.] [19b] * I want very much him for to get accepted. [*Std./*Bel.] ¾ Again, no double for: [19c] * I want very much for him for to get accepted. Presumably, then, this means that Belfast Eng. has minimal contrasts like the following (check?): [20] [20'] * I wanted for Jimmy to come with me. I wanted very much for Jimmy to come with me. [?] [[?]Std./*Bel.] [[?]Std./okBel.] [19b] * I want very much him for to get accepted. [*Std./*Bel.] [19b'] I want him for to get accepted. [?] [*Std./okBel.] 1.4. For with null subject (PRO / raising) For to widely available in constructions thought to contain PRO: ¾ Propositional subjects: [9] For to stay here would be just as expensive. [*Std./okBel.] [10] For to pay the mortgage is difficult. [*Std./okBel.] ¾ Exclamatives: [7] For to let that mongrel into my yard! [*Std./okBel.] [8] For to tell her like that! [*Std./okBel.] ¾ ‘Subject control’: [1] I want for to meet them. [*Std./okBel.] [2] It is difficult for to see that. [*Std./okBel.] [11] I tried for to get them. [*Std./okBel.] 2April 7 24.910, Spring 2009 (Stephenson) Notes:  In purpose-type clauses as in [1], for to occurs in a wide variety of English dialects in a way similar to in order to (but Belfast English is different)  In Standard English: want and difficult do take for complements in other contexts (with lexical subjects), but try doesn’t.  Try doesn’t allow lexical embedded subjects in Belfast Eng.: [12] * I tried for him to go home. ¾ ‘Object control’ / ‘ECM’: [13] I persuaded John for to go home. [*Std./okBel.] [14] She convinced them for to give up. [*Std./okBel.] [28a] I believe them for to have done it. [*Std./okBel.] Compare to: [28b] * I believe for them to have done it. ¾ But it’s not allowed with whether: [15] * I don’t know whether for to go. [*Std./*Bel.] [Note: This suggests that for is a complementizer in Belfast Eng. for to] ¾ Raising: [27a] John seems for to be better. [*Std./okBel.] Compare to: [27b] * It seems for John to be better. [*Std./*Bel.] 1.5. With Negation ¾ If for to occurs with not, the order must be for to not: [29a] I would prefer them for to not go. [*Std./okBel.] [29b] * I would prefer them for not to go. [*Std./*Bel.] [29c] * I would prefer them not for to go. [*Std./*Bel.] [30a] For to not go would be foolish. [*Std./okBel.] [30b] * Not for to go would be foolish. [*Std./*Bel.] [30c] * For not to go would be foolish [*Std./*Bel.] 3April 7 24.910, Spring 2009 (Stephenson) 2. Implications 2.1. For is not part of the infinitive marker [For to ≠ to] For is not part of the infinitive marker (T) because: ¾ For to is There are cases where to is allowed and for to is not:  with another for complementizer [*19c]  with whether [*15] 2.2. For in for to is not P For is not a preposition selected for by embedding verbs because: ¾ For to infinitives occur in isolation [7, 8] ¾ For to infinitives can co-occur with the preposition for: [48] What I’m longing for is for to have a break. 2.3. Conclusion: For is a C Conclusion: For must be a complementizer. Issues this brings up [p. 90]: ¾ For (in for to) can occur with PRO. [Standard explanations of the restriction against *for to in standard dialects depend on the assumption that PRO is not case-marked, and for appears to assign case to a lexical subject.] ¾ Lexical subjects can appear before the C for. ¾ Negation has surprising restrictions on its position. ¾ For appears with verbs that are thought to take IP (not CP) complements. 2.4. Analysis The basic idea: For is a complementizer that cliticizes to the infinitive marker to. 3. Henry’s suggestions about other for to varieties 3.1. Ottawa Valley English [Carroll 1983] [and possibly Ozark English, Chomsky 1981] for only occurs with verbs that standardly select for for. Possibilities: ¾ for is a preposition [OR] ¾ for is only optionally an item that case-marks NPs (and thus is compatible with PRO) 4April 7 24.910, Spring 2009 (Stephenson) 3.2. “Weak” for to varieties of Northern Irish English For only occurs in purpose


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