User:RockRockOn/A Minimalist Theory of Syntax/Complement
| Function: Complement | ||
|---|---|---|
| Specifier - Modifier - Complement - Head | ||
| Previous:Modifier | Notation: (parentheses) | Next:Head |
See also: Complement (linguistics)
Key Tests
[edit]- Head Adjacency
It's important to recognize that head adjacency isn't demonstrated simply by being next to the head, but by having to be next to the head:
*Bob eats lots {however} (of pizzas) Because things break when you split up 'lots' and 'of pizzas' you know that 'of pizzas' must be complement. Note that many things can be next to the head without being complements:
<They> had <both> been {voraciously} eating (the food) A specifier and a modifier are both immediately to the right of heads, but they definitely aren't complements.
- Meaning Shift / Non-Optionality
There is no such thing as a corresponding complement trace. Here's why not.... C-merge!