Reconstruction Obeys Minimality : A Representational Theory of Symmetrical Grammar

Abstract

This paper claims that reconstruction obeys a minimality condition just like upward movement such as Wh-movement, Quantifer Raising and A-movement. The strongest interpretation of this claim is that there is no essential difference between upward movement and reconstruction and any theory of grammar that deals with the two operations differently is wrong and should be modified accordingly. It will be shown, however, that the standard derivational theory that posits the derivational component to treat upward movement and the LF representation/component to accommodate reconstruction cannot be modified in any straightforward manner. Alternatively, I will propose a representational theory of grammar in which there is no distinction between derivational component and LF representation/component, hence no distinction between upward movement and reconstruction either. It will be demonstrated that the proposed representational theory exceeds any conceivable derivational theory in explanatory adequacy.