syntax idioms (part 8) - neal snape
TRANSCRIPT
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Syntax(part8)
A-Movement
NealSnape
Idioms
• AninterestingpieceofevidenceinsupportoftheVP-InternalSubjectHypothesiscomesfromthesyntaxofidioms.
(5)(a) Let’shaveacoupleofdrinkstobreaktheice
(introduceyourself)
(b) Becarefulnottoupsettheapplecart(tocausetrouble)
(c)Thepresidentmustbitethebullet(toforceyourselftodosomething
unpleasantordifficult)
• In(5)theformverb+complementistheidiom,butthesubjectisn’tpartoftheidiom.
• Itiseasytochangethesubjectsoftheidiomsin(5),asin(6):
(6)(a) Let’splayagametobreaktheice(b) IhopeIdon’tupsettheapplecart(c) Ihategoingtothedentist,butI'lljusthavetobite
thebullet
(6a)Let’splayagametobreaktheice
Thisistheidiom
(6b) IhopeIdon’tupsettheapplecart
Thisistheidiom
(6c) Ihategoingtothedentist,butI'lljusthavetobitethebullet
Thisistheidiom
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• In(5)and(6)theformverb+complementistheidiom,butthesubjectisn’tpartoftheidiom.
• Compareidiomsin(5)with(7):
(7)(a) Allhellbrokeloose(asituationsuddenlybecomesviolentand
noisy)
(b) Theshithitthefan(whenthingsgetuncontrollable)(c) Thecatgothistongue(whenyouareannoyedwithsomeoneand
thepersonisquiet)
• In(7),notonlyisthechoiceofverbandcomplementfixed,butsotooisthechoiceofsubject.
• However,whatispuzzlingaboutidiomslike(7)isthatoneormoreauxiliariescanfreelybepositionedbetweenthesubjectandverb
(8)(a) Allhellwillbreakloose(b) Allhellhasbrokenloose(c) Allhellcouldbreakloose
(9)(a) Theshitmighthitthefan(b) Theshithashitthefan(c) Theshitmusthavehitthefan
(8a)Allhellwillbreakloose
Thisistheidiom
[EPP]
Willallhell breakloose?
Thisistheidiom
[EPP]
(8b)Allhellhasbrokenloose
Thisistheidiom
[EPP]
(8c)Allhellcould breakloose
Thisistheidiom
[EPP]
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(9a)Theshitmighthitthefan
Thisistheidiom
[EPP]
(9b)Theshithashitthefan
Thisistheidiom
[EPP]
(9c)Theshitmusthavehitthefan
ThisistheidiomExercises
(1) Thecatisoutofthebag=(Thesecrethasbeendiscovered)(2) Thecatmustbeoutofthebag(3) Thecatwillbe outofthebag(4) Thechickenscamehometoroost=(thebadresultsof
somethingsomeonehasdonearestartingtohappen)(5) Thechickenshave comehometoroost(6) Thechickensdidnotcomehometoroost
Exercises
Drawtreesforthefollowingidioms.DecidewhetherthesubjectisinternaltotheVPorexternaltotheVP.
1. Hehitthenailonthehead(doorsaysomethingexactlyright)/Hemusthavehitthenailonthehead.
2. Ittakestwototango(actionsorcommunicationsneedmorethanoneperson)/Itmusttaketwototango.
3. Helosthishead(angryandovercomebyemotions)/Hemayhavelosthishead.
4. Hehitthebooks(tostudy,especiallyforatestorexam)/Heshouldhitthebooks.