Logo Lanfrica

Pronouncing PRO in Wolof

Domain:

natural language processing

Record type:

paper
Creator:
Fong, Suzana
Publisher:
Language Science Press
Host:avatar
In Wolof, control clauses differ in whether the embedded pro subject is pronounced.In some control clauses, the subject is phonologically null, as expected, while it isan overt pronoun in others. The main questions that arise are then: why do control clauses in this language differ in the phonological realization of pro? Whichcontrol theory is compatible with such realization? I suggest that control clauseswhere the subject is an overt pronoun project a ΣP which ‘impedes’ movement.Assuming that control is derived by movement, I model the pronounced pro as thepartial residue of movement that has been impeded. Control clauses with a nullsubject, in turn, are restructured.