An Explanation for CED Effects from the Derivational Perspective

Abstract

This paper proposes an analysis for CED effects on the basis of the Phase Impenetrability Condition (PIC) proposed by Chomsky (2001a). According to the PIC, there is an important distinction between edge positions of a phase and its domain. The former is accessible to the computational system in the next strong phase, while the latter is not. For instance, the C head in CP can access the edge positions in vP, but not the elements in VP. In this way, edge positions of a phase function as 'an escape hatch'in the framework of Chomsky (2001a). Uriagereka (2002 : Chapter 3 & 4), on the other hand, defines the accessibility to the computation in terms of the Multiple Spell-out. He argues that once Spell-out is applied to a syntactic object XP, it is no longer accessible to the computational system. Thus, after Spell-out applies to a complex DP subject, the internal elements in the DP can no longer be accessed by the computation. Based on this assumption, he explains the ungrammaticality observed in extraction out of complex subjects or adjunct phrases. Taking account of these authors'viewpoints, then, I will propose a condition on Spell-out and show that this condition makes correct predictions for not only CED effects but also other extraction phenomena in Modern German.