Speaker: Giovanni Roversi (MIT)
Title: Binding and anti-cataphora in Äiwoo: domain-based restrictions on interpretation?
Time: Tuesday, September 12th, 1pm – 2pm
Location: 32-D461
Abstract: I report some work in progress, based on ongoing fieldwork, on how Condition C works in Äiwoo, an Oceanic (< Austronesian) language from the Solomon Islands. The central puzzle is that Condition C (or more generally, the mechanism that determines whether two nominals can or cannot be coreferent) shows a non-uniform profile in this language. In certain types of clauses one seems to get perfectly traditional Condition C effects, where the important factor is c-command between two nominals and not linear precedence (e.g. “His_i mother loves John_i”, where “his” precedes “John” but doesn’t c-command it, and coreference is possible). In other types of clauses, however, we see a completely different profile, where the (im)possibility of coreference seems to fully disregard structural factors (c-command) and only care about linear precedence. I will suggest a hypothesis whereby there’s a particular high domain in the Äiwoo clause which blocks cataphora, but not otherwise. This is very much work in progress, so I welcome any brainstorming and feedback!