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Head-initial postpositional phrases in North Sámi

Julien, Marit LU (2017) In Open Generative Syntax 1. p.159-176
Abstract
Most adpositions in North Sámi are postpositions – they follow their complements in the surface order. Nouns, on the other hand, invariably precede their complements. Strikingly, when the nominal complement of a postposition has its own complement, the complement of the noun follows after the postposition, so that the nominal phrase ends up being discontinuous,
split by the postposition. This is an indication that North Sámi postpositions are prepositions underlyingly, and that the surface order is the result of the complement of P moving to the Spec of a higher functional head. The complement of the noun is however spelled out in the lower position. Neither the complement stranding approach of Sheehan (2009) nor the FOFC of Holmberg... (More)
Most adpositions in North Sámi are postpositions – they follow their complements in the surface order. Nouns, on the other hand, invariably precede their complements. Strikingly, when the nominal complement of a postposition has its own complement, the complement of the noun follows after the postposition, so that the nominal phrase ends up being discontinuous,
split by the postposition. This is an indication that North Sámi postpositions are prepositions underlyingly, and that the surface order is the result of the complement of P moving to the Spec of a higher functional head. The complement of the noun is however spelled out in the lower position. Neither the complement stranding approach of Sheehan (2009) nor the FOFC of Holmberg (2000) and Biberauer et al. (2008; 2014) can fully explain this pattern. Instead, in North Sámi a more specific requirement appears to be at work, which dictates that a postposition must follow immediately after the nominal head of its complement. A similar effect is seen with possessors, which precede the possessees but also leave their complements behind in postnominal position. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
North Sámi, postposition, Final-over-Final Constraint
host publication
Order and structure in syntax I : Word order and syntactic structure - Word order and syntactic structure
series title
Open Generative Syntax
editor
Bailey, Laura L. and Sheehan, Michelle
volume
1
pages
159 - 176
publisher
Language Science Press
ISBN
978-3-96110-026-2
978-3-96110-027-9
DOI
10.5281/zenodo.1117686
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1a236bc6-a510-4b35-9ca3-496690fc3d0c
date added to LUP
2017-12-20 21:36:54
date last changed
2021-03-22 17:46:56
@inbook{1a236bc6-a510-4b35-9ca3-496690fc3d0c,
  abstract     = {{Most adpositions in North Sámi are postpositions – they follow their complements in the surface order. Nouns, on the other hand, invariably precede their complements. Strikingly, when the nominal complement of a postposition has its own complement, the complement of the noun follows after the postposition, so that the nominal phrase ends up being discontinuous,<br/>split by the postposition. This is an indication that North Sámi postpositions are prepositions underlyingly, and that the surface order is the result of the complement of P moving to the Spec of a higher functional head. The complement of the noun is however spelled out in the lower position. Neither the complement stranding approach of Sheehan (2009) nor the FOFC of Holmberg (2000) and Biberauer et al. (2008; 2014) can fully explain this pattern. Instead, in North Sámi a more specific requirement appears to be at work, which dictates that a postposition must follow immediately after the nominal head of its complement. A similar effect is seen with possessors, which precede the possessees but also leave their complements behind in postnominal position.}},
  author       = {{Julien, Marit}},
  booktitle    = {{Order and structure in syntax I : Word order and syntactic structure}},
  editor       = {{Bailey, Laura L. and Sheehan, Michelle}},
  isbn         = {{978-3-96110-026-2}},
  keywords     = {{North Sámi; postposition; Final-over-Final Constraint}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{159--176}},
  publisher    = {{Language Science Press}},
  series       = {{Open Generative Syntax}},
  title        = {{Head-initial postpositional phrases in North Sámi}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1117686}},
  doi          = {{10.5281/zenodo.1117686}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}