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Wh-agreement in Ojibwe relative clauses: Evidence for CP Structure

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2016

Bethany Lochbihler  and
Eric Mathieu
Bethany Lochbihler
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh
Eric Mathieu
Affiliation:
University of Ottawa
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Abstract

This article discusses the morphological and syntactic structure of relative clauses in Ojibwe (Algonquian), in particular their status as wh-constructions. Relatives in this language are full clauses that bear special morphology, show evidence of A′-movement of a wh-operator, and consequently exhibit wh-agreement also found in interrogatives and certain types of focus constructions. Ojibwe shows the possibility of wh-agreement realized on T (in addition to C and v for other languages), as it appears on tense prefixes. We account for the realization of wh-agreement on T in Ojibwe via the mechanism of feature inheritance. We propose that while declarative matrix clauses are canonical in that C introduces φ-features in Ojibwe, the role of C in embedded or wh-contexts is to introduce δ-features (discourse features), such as [uwh], rather than φ-features. These δ-features can be introduced by C, but are transferred down to T where they spell out as wh-agreement.

Résumé

Résumé

Cet article étudie la structure morphologique et syntaxique des propositions relatives en ojibwe (langue algonquienne), en particulier leur statut de constructions wh. Il est proposé que les propositions relatives dans cette langue sont des propositions complètes, accompagnées d’une morphologie particulière et d’un mouvement A’ d’un opérateur wh. Il s’agit d’un accord wh que l’on trouve également dans les interrogatives et les constructions focus. Nous démontrons qu’en ojibwe l’accord wh apparaît sur T, plutôt que sur C et v comme dans d’autres langues. L’accord wh se place, en effet, sur les préfixes de temps. Nous proposons une analyse de cet accord wh par le méchanisme de l’«héritage des traits ». L’hypothèse est que dans les propositions principales déclaratives le rôle de C en ojibwe est d’introduire des traits φ (traits flexionnels) alors que dans les propositions subordonnées ou dans les contextes wh, le rôle de C est d’introduire des traits δ (traits discursifs), tel que [uwh], au lieu de traits φ. Ces traits δ sont introduits par C, mais sont transférés à T où ils sont réalisés comme accord wh.

Keywords

relative clauseswh-agreementfeature inheritanceOjibweAlgonquiansuccessive-cyclic movementdiscourse featurespropositions relativesaccord whheritage des traitsojibwealgonquienmouvement cyclique successivetraits discursifs
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 58 , Issue 2: The syntax of relative clauses La syntaxe des propositions relatives , July 2013 , pp. 293 - 318
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association 2013

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