Syntax I

In class today, we officially met the DP for the first time, and its introduction brings up several issues. Here’s one (this isn’t a problem of any kind, but perhaps it’s noteworthy anyway): The φ-features, interpretable on N (still), might actually value and check two different [uφ: ] features (it depends on the sentence). One of these [uφ: ] features is on the D. If the DP is the subject as well, then the other [uφ: ] features are on T.

Consider: Citizens have voted. The subject, citizens, is a DP—subjects are always DPs. The DP is indefinite, and the noun is plural.

So, we take these…

D
[D, indef, uφ: , uN*, ucase: ]

N
citizens
[N, φ:3pl]

…and put them together… [Note: I have edited this since first posting it, I had some Ns where there should have been NPs]

             DP
           /   \
          D     NP
 [D, indef,     citizens
       uN*,     [N,
      uφ: ,      φ:3pl]
   ucase: ]

…check, value, check…(The φ-features of N value and check the [uφ: ] feature of D.)

             DP
           /   \
          D     NP
 [D, indef,     citizens
       uN*,     [N,
    uφ:3pl,      φ:3pl]
   ucase: ]

Notice, though, that nothing has happened to the φ-features of N. They’re just like they were. They participated in valuing and checking the features on D, but the φ-features on N are interpretable so they don’t need to check anything, and nothing happens to them if they do. Point is: They’re still around as we continue building up the tree until we Merge in T:

              TP
            /    \
          T       vP
  [T, uφ: ,     /    \
  ucase:nom  DP        v′
  etc.]    /   \      / \
          D     NP  V+v  <VP>
 [D, indef,  citizens
       uN*,  [N,
    uφ:3pl,   φ:3pl]
   ucase: ]

Now, T can see N (T c-commands N), so the φ-features of N can come to the rescue again, now valuing the [uφ: ] feature of T. Meanwhile, the [nom] features of T and D match and check. There are other features on T that I haven’t bothered to list, such as the [uD*] (”EPP”) feature, so after this step, the subject will still move into SpecTP.

              TP
            /    \
          T       vP
[T, uφ:3pl,     /    \
  ucase:nom  DP        v′
  etc.]    /   \      / \
          D     NP  V+v  <VP>
 [D, indef,  citizens
       uN*,  [N,
    uφ:3pl,   φ:3pl]
   ucase:nom]

The point is just that the interpretable φ-features on N can be recruited more than once to check uninterpretable features. Note (added after the original posting): However, following Adger p. 262, we should assume that it is in fact the [uφ:3pl] feature of D that values the features on T. See this later blog post.

The DP we end up with here would sound like: “Citizens” (that is “∅ citizens”) because the indefinite plural article is ∅.