Deriving Superiority Effects in Multiple WH-Fronting without Determiners

• Main Author: Schuurman, Matthew
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Western Papers in Linguistics 2016
• Subjects: superiority effects; multiple wh-fronting; determiners; noun phrase; Mi’gmaq
• Online Access: https://ojs.lib.uwo.ca/index.php/wpl_clw/article/view/984

This paper analyzes multiple wh-fronting with superiority effects in Mi’gmaq, an Eastern Algonquian language, to Bošković’s (2008, 2012) generalizations between languages with and those without the presence of overt articles. When the Mi’gmaq is compared to generalizations on scrambling, quantifier scope, and multiple wh-fronting with superiority effects, problematic contradictions arise, specifically with the latter generalization. According to Bošković's predictions, Mi’gmaq should be both an NP-only language based on scrambling, numeral classifiers, and quantifier scope, and a DP language based on multiple wh-fronting with superiority effects. Therefore, I propose there is no relationship between the presence of articles, the D feature, and appearance of superiority effects in obligatory multiple wh-fronting languages. This paper analyzes multiple wh-fronting with superiority effects in Mi’gmaq, an Eastern Algonquian language, to Bošković’s (2008, 2012) generalizations between languages with and those without the presence of overt articles. When the Mi’gmaq is compared to generalizations on scrambling, quantifier scope, and multiple wh-fronting with superiority effects, problematic contradictions arise, specifically with the latter generalization. According to Bošković's predictions, Mi’gmaq should be both an NP-only language based on scrambling, numeral classifiers, and quantifier scope, and a DP language based on multiple wh-fronting with superiority effects. Therefore, I propose there is no relationship between the presence of articles, the D feature, and appearance of superiority effects in obligatory multiple wh-fronting languages.