Table of contents

Takk! v

Acknowledgements xi

Introduction

1. Theoretical background
1

2. A configurational approach to interpretation
5

3. 'Identification' and the role of morphology in the Scandinavian noun phrase
9

4. Icelandic expletive constructions and the distribution of subject types
12

5. Conclusion
15

References
16

Part I

A configurational approach to interpretation A substantially revised version of this part of the thesis has appeared in 2001 in Studia Linguisticaunder the title ‘On Noun Phrase architecture, referentiality, and article systems‘. (Studia Linguistica 55, 249-299.)	top of page

1. Introduction	19

2. Referentiality	25
2.1. Strong noun phrases	25
2.2. Weak noun phrases and specificity	28
2.2.1. The partitivity view	29
2.2.2. A referential view	33
2.3. A test for specificity	36
2.4. Strong noun phrases and discourse anaphoricity	37
2.5. Countability and the mass/count distinction	39
2.6. Summary	44

3. The syntax and semantics of noun phrase internal functional categories	45
3.1 The basic correlations	45
3.2. The identification of noun phrase internal functional categories	47
3.3. The availability of elements	52

4. On articles and article systems	55
4.1. The complementary distribution of the definite and indefinite articles	55
4.2. Indefinite and definite articles from a comparative perspective	56
4.3. Singular and plural indefinite articles	58
4.4. The French article system	61
4.5. The Northern and Northeastern Swedish suffixed article	66
4.6. Finnish case marking	69
4.7. Conclusion	71

5. Intermezzo: some observations concerning relative clauses	72

6. On definite determiners and definiteness	74
6.1. 'Specific' articles?	74
6.2. Intensifying noun phrases in Norwegian	77
6.3. 'Each' as identifier of d	80
6.4. Generics	84
6.5. Conclusion	85

7. The clausal domain: some remarks on finite clauses versus infinitivals	86

8. Residual issues and some further speculations	90

9. Conclusion	93

References	94

Part II

'Identification' and the role of morphology in the Scandinavian noun phrase	top of page

1. Introduction	99

2. Theoretical assumptions	106
2.1. Identification	106
2.2. Agreement	109
2.3. Features relevant for the nominal domain	111
2.4. Adjectival inflection and the syntactic status of adjectives	117
2.5. DxP and the syntactic status of demonstratives and the suffixed definite article	119
2.6. The syntactic status of possessors	124
2.7. Summary	127

3. The Scandinavian article system	128
3.1. The indefinite article	129
3.2. The preadjectival article and adjectival inflection	130
3.3. Preadjectival article versus adjective incorporation	135
3.4. Pronominal demonstratives, adjective incorporation, and apocope	140
3.5. Generalized strategy	143

4. Intermezzo: AP/NP movement in Icelandic	144

5. Possessive constructions	148
5.1. Possessives and the co-occurrence with definite articles	148
5.2. The Skellefteå dialect	151
5.3. The Karleby dialect	153
5.4. The Lappträsk dialect	156
5.5. The Malax dialect	158
5.6. Conclusion	161

6. The indirect role of morphology	162
6.1. Possessive constructions in the Gotland dialect	162
6.2. Non-agreeing possessives in other Scandinavian dialects	165
6.3. The Faroese problem	167
6.3.1. Adjectival inflection and the preadjectival definite article	167
6.3.2. The indefinite article and nominal inflection	168
6.3.3. The Faroese problem solved?	171

7. Concluding remarks	172

References	174

Part III

Icelandic expletive constructions and the distribution of subject types This part of the dissertation is to appear as a chapter of Subjects, Predicates, and the EPP, edited by Peter Svenonius. Copyright is held by Oxford University Press.	top of page

1. Introduction	179

2. Two positions for the associate in Icelandic	181

3. The distribution of noun phrase types in the two positions	184
3.1. The postverbal position	184
3.2. The intermediate position	186
3.3. Further facts	188
3.4. Summary	191

4. The Definiteness Effect and Case checking	194
4.1. Expletive-based approaches	194
4.2. A Case-based approach	195

5. The content of (Agr)SP	198
5.1. Agreement	198
5.2. The Extended Projection Principle	199
5.3. Checking versus identification	201

6. Conclusion	207

References	208

This page was last modified on
11 February 2002
by Øystein Alexander Vangsnes

Introduction
1. Theoretical background	1
2. A configurational approach to interpretation	5
3. 'Identification' and the role of morphology in the Scandinavian noun phrase	9
4. Icelandic expletive constructions and the distribution of subject types	12
5. Conclusion	15
References	16