| Description |
This thesis proposes a novel defective T analysis for explaining two facts about Icelandic quirky subject sentences. First, in Icelandic quirky subject sentences, the verb agrees with the nominative object rather than with the subject (1). Second, 1st and 2nd person nominative objects are blocked completely in Icelandic quirky subject sentences (2). 1. Henni leiddust strakarnir. her.dat.3sg bored.3pl the boys.nom.3pl 'She found the boys boring.' 2. * Henni leidd-umst/-ust/-ist vi. her.dat.3sg bored.1pl/3pl/dft we.nom.1pl 'She found us boring.' Based in a Minimalist Program framework, I argue that T in quirky subject sentences is ?-defective, lacking [Person]. I also describe three potential alternative Minimalist analyses of Icelandic: (i) a ?-stacking analysis based on Richards" case-stacking; (ii) a complex dependency analysis from Lopez; and (iii) a split ? probe analysis supported by Sigursson and Holmberg. All of these alternatives come with additional theoretical baggage that m |
