1Episode 4b. UTAH4.3-4.4CAS LX 522Syntax IWhere we are We’ve just come up with ananalysis of sentences withditransitive verbs, such as Patgave books to Chris that accordswith the constraints of thesyntactic system we havedeveloped so far. Merge is binary θ-roles are assigned to specifiersand complements. The solution is to assume atwo-tiered structure, with alittle v in addition to the VP.PPV′VVPNPv′vvPNPPatbooksto ChrisNPPgaveWhere we are The three θ-roles for give areassigned like this: The PP gets a Goal θ-role. The lower NP gets a Theme θ-role. The highest NP (in the specifier of vP)gets an Agent θ-role. But how did we know that? More importantly, how do kidscome to know that? Do they memorize this list for eachverb they learn?PPV′VVPNPv′vvPNPPatbooksto ChrisNPPgaveUniformity of ThetaAssignment If kids are really memorizingwhich θ-role goes where for eachverb, there should be some verbsthat do it in other ways. For example, there might be aditransitive verb with Theme inthe specifier of vP, Goal in thespecifier of VP, and Agent in thecomplement of VP. E.g., to tup:Books tup on the shelf Chris‘Chris put books on the shelf.’AgentV′VVPGoalv′vvPTheme?tupUniformity of ThetaAssignment But that just never happens. It seems that all verbs have θ-roleassignment that looks pretty much thesame. If there’s an Agent, it’s the first(uppermost) NP. If there’s a Theme it’s down close to theverb. Given that things seem to be relativelyuniform, it has been proposed thatthis is a fundamental property of thesyntactic system. Each θ-role has aconsistent place in the structure.AgentV′VVPGoalv′vvPThemetupUTAH The Uniformity of Theta-AssignmentHypothesis (UTAH): Identical thematicrelationships between predicates and theirarguments are represented syntactically byidentical structural relationships when items areMerged. That is, all Agents are structurally in the same place(when first Merged). All Patients are structurally inthe same place, etc. We can take this to be a property of the interpretation.When a structure is interpreted, the θ-role anargument gets depends on where it was first Merged.2θ-roles and structure Great. So, the Agent (Pat) in Patgave books to Chris is in the specifierof vP. Because that’s where Agentsgo. But.. What about structures like theones we had before for things likePat called Chris?Patcalled ChrisNPVPNPVV′PPV′VVPNPv′vvPNPPatbooksto ChrisNPPgave?θ-roles and structure Well, if we’re serious aboutworking within the constraints ofUTAH, we need a v there too— tohost the Agent. Hierarchy of Projection: v > Vcalled ChrisNPVVP PPV′VVPNPv′vvPNPPatbooksto ChrisNPPgavev′vvPNPPatθ-roles and structure Specifier of vP = Agent But where’s the Theme? Isn’t thatin different places in Pat calledChris and Pat gave books to Chris?called ChrisNPVVP PPV′VVPNPv′vvPNPPatbooksto ChrisNPPgavev′vvPNPPatθ-roles and structure NP, daughter of vP = Agent NP, daughter of VP = Theme PP, daughter of V′ = Goal That seems to work, and it seems areasonable interpretation of UTAH.called ChrisNPVVP PPV′VVPNPv′vvPNPPatbooksto ChrisNPPgavev′vvPNPPatVP shells Note. Even though v may carry a “causative”meaning, this does not mean that it is synonymouswith the English word “cause”. There is adifference in the “directness” of the causalconnection. What it really seems closest to is“Agent”. The water boiled. Bill boiled the water Billi I ti v+boil the water Bill caused the water to boil Bill cause TPUnaccusatives vs. unergatives Recall that there are two types of single-argument (intransitive) verbs in terms of theθ-role they assign to their single argument. Unaccusatives: Have one, Theme θ-role. Fall, sink, break, close Unergatives: Have one, Agent θ-role. Walk, dance, laugh3Unaccusatives vs. unergatives Unaccusatives: Have one, Theme θ-role. Fall, sink, break, close Unergatives: Have one, Agent θ-role. Walk, dance, laugh If we adopt the UTAH, then we are forced to acertain view of the original Merges. If you’re going to be a Theme, you need to be NPdaughter of VP. If you’re going to be an Agent, you need to be NPdaughter of vP. (Is it bad to be forced into an analysis?)Unaccusatives Let’s go back and consider VP shells a bit in connection withunaccusatives. The ice melted. The boat sank. The door closed. The ice, the boat, the door are all Themes— the argument starts asNP daughter of VP. Unaccusatives have a relatively “inert” v, no “causal” meaning. There are two kinds of v, the causal one that needs an NP(Agent), and a non-causal one. What if we pick the causal v (and provide an Agent NP)?NPVPVthe icemeltvPvVP shells Bill melted the ice. Straightforward enough. The causalv adds an Agent. Bill was the agent/instigator of amelting that affected the ice. Why isn’t the unaccusativeversion Melted the ice, though? (English being head-initial, after all)v′vvPNPVPVthe icemeltNPBillPreview Why isn’t the unaccusative versionMelted the ice, though? (English being head-initial, after all) We will turn to this question morethoroughly next. But to a firstapproximation, we say that: Sentences need subjects. Subjects come first. Since there is only one NP here, it has to bethe subject, and it has to come first. We suppose that a movement operation(something like what happens to give when itmoves up to v) carries the subject over to theleft of the vP.vPvNPVPVthe icemeltPreview Sentences need subjects. Subjects come first. Since there is only one NP here, it has tobe the subject, and it has to come first. We suppose that a movement operation(something like what happens to givewhen it moves up to v) carries the subjectover to the left of the vP. As for where it goes (how it isintegrated into the structure), we’llconcern ourselves more with thatnext week.vPv+VNPVPV<the ice><melt>meltNPthe iceBill lied. Just to address the last case, theunergatives, consider Bill lied. That’s got an Agent, so it’s got a v. So, it would look like this.v′vvPVPlieNPBill4Auxiliary selection Molte ragazze telefonanomany girls phone‘Many girls are phoning.’ Molte ragazze arrivanomany girls arrive‘Many girls are arriving.’ Molte ragazze hanno telefonatomany girls have