Edited by Alexandru Nicolae and Adina Dragomirescu
[Current Issues in Linguistic Theory 355] 2021
► pp. 263–276
This chapter discusses wh-extraction in Spanish clauses involving a V+de+CP sequence. The previous literature observes that objects, not adjuncts, may be extracted from a de+CP clause. I make three novel observations: (i) subjects pattern with adjuncts in that they cannot be extracted from de+CP, (ii) there is a ‘distance’ effect in that subject extraction improves with one more level of embedding, and (iii) there is also a ‘distance’ effect regarding adjunct extraction with one more level of embedding. (i)–(iii) are surprising, since subjects otherwise do not pattern with adjuncts regarding extraction in Spanish, and adjunct extraction out of islands is otherwise unacceptable. I provide a phasal account where Phase Collapsing and successive cyclic movement are crucial.