Publications

Publication details [#4142]

Gundel, Jeanette Kohn. 1976. The source of 'it' in cleft sentences.

Publication type

Working paper

Publication language

English

Keywords

cleft construction | pseudo-cleft construction | right dislocation

Annotation

Contrary to the general assumption that 'it' in cleft sentences is semantically empty, G. argues that cleft sentences are reduced forms of right-dislocated pseudo-clefts, where 'it' is a pronominal reference to the topic which appears at the end of the sentence.

Reprints

. 1977. Where do cleft sentences come from?