Jones, Stephen M.: Multifunctional Dutch `er'
This paper presents an LFG analysis of two aspects of the Dutch pronoun er: its ability to provide multiple grammatical functions within a single clause; and the constraints on the position of 'er' within a clause and the combinations of functions that are allowed in a given position. The analysis rests on interactions between string ordering, c-structure, f-structure and information structure constraints. The general lexical specification for 'er' comprises a core together with optional subspecifications: each instance of 'er' generates its own lexical specification to satisfy other constraints in the clause. The paper introduces the proposal that a c-structure node may project a set of f-structures, each of which shares its structure with a distinct element of the overall clausal f-structure.
December 22, 2022 |