(Non-)Configurationality and the Internal Syntax of Adjectives in Old Romanian Cover Image

(Non-)Configurationality and the Internal Syntax of Adjectives in Old Romanian
(Non-)Configurationality and the Internal Syntax of Adjectives in Old Romanian

Author(s): Raluca Brăescu, Adina Dragomirescu, Alexandru Nicolae
Subject(s): Morphology, Syntax
Published by: Editura Universităţii din Bucureşti
Keywords: old Romanian; Adjectival Phrase; complementation; head-final grammar; roll-up; non configurationality;

Summary/Abstract: This paper deals with three phenomena specific to old Romanian: pre-head complements to adjectives (i.e. head-final adjectival structures), post-adjectival degree markers, and discontinuous adjectival and degree phrases. Following recent work by Ledge-way, we defend the hypothesis that the old Romanian adjectival phrase preserves relics of the head-final and non-configurational syntax of Latin. The fact that pre-head complements of adjectives and post-adjectival degree markers represent a genuine instance of head-finality (i.e. roll-up movement) is reinforced by the existence of discontinuous adjectival phrases (the hallmark of non-configurationality), discontinuous structures being unavailable in harmonic head-initial systems (Ledge-way forthcoming b)

  • Issue Year: 17/2015
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 55-74
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: English