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Linguistic Variation: Online-First Articles

Deriving Ewe (Tongugbe) nyá-constructions

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Ewe (Kwa, Niger-Congo) has a construction known in the literature as the nyá-construction (Ameka 1991, 2005a; Collins 1993; Duthie 1996; Adjei 2014). The logical internal argument of the construction occurs in subject position and the logical external argument is either absent on the surface or represented in the construction as a for-PP. In this paper, I consider the syntax of the Ewe nyá-construction, exploring data from the Tongugbe dialect. I show that the nyá-construction shares properties with English middles. I demonstrate that the agent or experiencer for-PP that may occur in the nyá -construction is its external argument, projected in Spec vP. Further, I argue that even if the for-PP is not overtly realized, it is syntactically projected in Spec vP, contrary to theories like Bruening 2013. The analysis I put forward provides support for the Theta-Criterion, which forces all arguments to be syntactically projected.

Keywords: nyá-construction, smuggling, A-movement, implicit argument, Ewe (Tongugbe)
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Distinguishing nyá from other nya expressions
  • 3.The Ewe nyá-construction and English middles
    • 3.1Selectivity
    • 3.2Preposition stranding and purpose clauses
  • 4.On the external argument of the nyá-construction
    • 4.1Syntactically projected external argument
      • 4.1.1Principle A and B of the binding theory
      • 4.1.2Control into without-adjuncts
      • 4.1.3Secondary predicates
  • 5.Deriving the nyá-construction
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 17 May 2024
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https://doi.org/10.1075/lv.23061.got
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