Rightward movement, EPP and specifiers

This study investigates whether rightward movement can be an option for the derivation of postverbal constituents. By focusing on two lesser-studied members of the Altaic group, namely Uyghur and Khalkha, we will show that the derivation of postverbal constituents is not a cross-linguistically uniform phenomenon. Postverbal constituents in Uyghur behave fully in parallel to leftward scrambled elements, thus, their derivation requires rightward movement. Postverbal elements in Khalkha, on the other hand, are not parts of the sentence they adjoin to but belong to a second sentence, which is subject to phonological deletion under identity to the first sentence. We will further argue that the reason for this asymmetry follows from the parametric nature of EPP effects observed in both languages.

Published online: 16 July 2013
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.200.07ozt