In the English language, wh-question constructions give rise to gap positions in sentences, because the wh-phrase that corresponds with the object of the verb moves to the beginning of the sentence, leaving no word to appear in the typical object position. Typically wh-phrases are associated with just one gap, however, in some special cases, multiple gaps have been found to be associated with a single wh-phrase. These sentences are called Parasitic Gap Constructions and are characterized by the second gap demanding the presence of the first. Due to their rarity, syntacticians have devoted studies since the 1970s investigating the grammatical environments in which these gaps are licensed and the ways in which these gaps are processed. Some studies have shown grammatical environments where parasitic gaps have been found to be posited by readers almost every instance without fail, but still there is work being conducted exploring the different syntactic rules which may or may not govern the existence of these gaps. This particular study takes a deeper investigation of the c-command relationship between the trace element of the wh-phrase and the phrase hosting the potential parasitic gap and how this relationship impacts parasitic gap processing. Distinctions in PG processing between these two environments provides evidence for underlying grammatical processes driving readers' intuition despite the rarity of these constructions.

Last modified

• 06/23/2021

Creator

• Zuercher, Abigail
• Yoshida, Masaya

DOI

• https://doi.org/10.21985/n2-hnnz-ds43

Keyword

• Syntax
• Parasitic Gap Processing
• Linguistics
• Wh-Movement

Date created

• 2021

Resource type

• Conference Proceeding

Rights statement

• In Copyright