EMU Linguistics Program

2003 Linguistic Society of America
Annual Meeting

Heather Taylor

A construal-as-movement analysis of a new type of tough- construction

We present new data involving tough- constructions and, to account for certain unique properties of these constructions, we propose an alternative approach to the construal-as-movement analysis of Hornstein (2001): Move! According to Move!, in a typical case like John is tough to find, 'tough to find' is not a constituent, because the embedded CP is attached high, as an adjunct. However, there is evidence (in the form of standard tests) that it is a constituent. The new data also lend evidence against high attachment of the embedded CP:

1) John is too tough to find to play hide-n-seek with

In 1, the adjective tough and the degree adverb too each take a complement, to find and to play hide-n-seek with, respectively; where John is understood as the object of both CPs, and also the matrix subject. We show that 1 cannot be derived with high attachment of the CP and that the Move! analysis both over- and under-generates. Our alternative analysis overcomes these problems while maintaining the advantages of the Move! account (a prime example of 'minimalist methodology', eliminating PRO and the control module). Finally, we consider the implications of our analysis for ATB and PG constructions, speculating on a unified approach.

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