Part of
Brazilian Portuguese, Syntax and Semantics: 20 years of Núcleo de Estudos GramaticaisEdited by Roberta Pires De Oliveira, Ina Emmel and Sandra Quarezemin
[Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today 260] 2020
► pp. 151–166
The paper aims to offer an analysis for the anaphoric null objects found in Brazilian Portuguese as a case of ellipsis. This was first proposed by Cyrino (1994) solely based on the fact that such null elements exhibit strict and sloppy readings, a test not considered trustworthy as a diagnosis for ellipses (see Merchant 2013a; a.o.). We will thus test them based on Jackendoff’s (1971) tests for VP-ellipsis, showing, however, that null objects cannot be subsumed under VP-ellipsis. A phase-based analysis for both cases of ellipsis will be proposed.
Offering a phase-based analysis not only contributes to the understanding of what can be a phase but also accommodates the facts examined in BP as well as its differences with EP.