Unpronounced MUCH and the distribution of degree expressions in Spanish
This paper focuses on the distribution of degree adjectival modifiers in Spanish. We
distinguish two series of morphologically related degree expressions in Spanish: –to
vs. –toless forms, i.e. tanto ‘so much’ vs. tan ‘so’. In the framework of Corver’s
(1997) Split-DegP Hypothesis, it will be shown that the distribution of these two
series of degree expressions corresponds to that of Q-heads (–to forms) and Degheads
(–toless forms). We argue that Q-heads, as opposed to Deg-heads, are
nominals, more concretely adjectives, and that they license an unpronounced MUCH
head (cf. Kayne 2002). MUCH will be shown to play a crucial role in the account of
the distribution of Q-heads and Deg-heads in Spanish. We also consider the
relationship between MUCH in Spanish and overt much in English much-support
contexts, as well as the somewhat different conditions determining the licensing of
these two elements. Finally, we argue that the postulation of an unpronounced MUCH
accounts for the particular syntactic properties of very in English
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Rossi, Silvia & Cecilia Poletto
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