Principles

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Principles Parameters Approach in Linguistics -
III

• Bibhuti Bhusan Mahapatra

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The clause structure

• 9) S ? COMP NP INFL VP
• INFL? Tense
• Comp ? WH/for

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Subject is obligatory in English

• 10) i. There is a good reason for his refusal.
• ii. I believe there to be a good reason for his
  refusal.
• iii. I believe it to have rained.
• iv. I would prefer its raining in September.
• The italicized elements bear no theta roles.
• 11) I would prefer my raining in September.
• (11) suggests that the subject position of its
  embedded clause cannot be an argument position

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Subject may not be obligatory in other languages

• The subject is obligatory in English, but not
  obligatory in Italian and Spanish.
• 12. pro sono contento.
• The subject is obligatory or not is a possible
  parameter. The parameter is called pro-drop
  parameter.

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Thank You