Universal #1380
Legacy number: 1380
| Number | 1376 |
| Original | Relative Clause and WH-Question Filler: In languages that have filler-gap structures for both relative clauses and WH-questions, if a gap is grammatical for a relative clause filler in an FGD of complexity n on a hierarchy H, then a gap will also be grammatical for a WH-question word filler in an FGD of complexity n. |
| Standardized | Relative Clause and WH-Question Filler: In languages that have filler-gap structures for both relative clauses and WH-questions, IF a gap is grammatical for a relative clause filler in an FGD of complexity n on a hierarchy H, THEN a gap will also be grammatical for a WH-question word filler in an FGD of complexity n. |
| Formula | FG (relative clause) on H(n) ⇒ FG (WH-question) on H(n) |
| Keywords | filler, gap, relative clause, wh-question, complexity |
| Domain | syntax |
| Type | implication |
| Status | achronic |
| Quality | absolute |
| Basis | English, German (both Germanic), Russian (Slavic), Ancient Greek (Greek), Japanese (Japanese-Ryukyuan), Persian (Iranian) |
| Source | Hawkins 1999: 270 |
Discussion
Notes
1. The terms “filler” and “gap” are used for the moved element and its trace respectively.2. Filler-Gap Domain [FGD]: An FGD consists of the smallest terminal and non-terminal nodes dominated by the mother of a filler and on a connected path that must be accessed for gap identification and processing; for subcategorized gaps the path connects the filler to the gap’s subcategorizor and includes, or is extended to include, the gap’s dependent and disambiguating arguments (if any); for non-subcategorized gaps the path connects the filler to the gap site; all constituency relations and co-occurrence requirements holding between these nodes belong to the description of the FGD.3. Russian and German choose the less option: relativization cuts off at the S’ position of the clause embedding hierarchy, WH-question formation is still possible here. In English both are equal. But the reverse of Russian and German, in which relative clauses are more productive than WH-questions, is predicted not to occur.
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2. FILLER-GAP DOMAIN [FGD]: An FGD consists of the smallest terminal and non-terminal nodes dominated by the mother of a filler and on a connected path that must be accessed for gap identification and processing; for subcategorized gaps the path connects the filler to the gap's subcategorizor and includes, or is extended to include, the gap's dependent and disambiguating arguments (if any); for non-subcategorized gaps the path connects the filler to the gap site; all constituency relations and co-occurrence requirements holding between these nodes belong to the description of the FGD.
3. Russian and German choose the less option: relativization cuts off at the S' position of the clause embedding hierarchy, WH-question formation is still possible here. In English both are equal. But the reverse of Russian and German, in which relative clauses are more productive than WH-questions, is predicted not to occur.