The Syntax of Imperatives in English and Germanic

This volume examines several aspects of the syntax of imperative clauses in English and in a variety of other Germanic languages in the context of the challenge that apparent optional movement poses for the Minimalist Programme.

'This book has commendable empirical coverage, comprising data from Early Modern English as well as other Germanic languages. The review and critique of previous work on imperatives is thorough and extensive, and the proposed analysis raises many interesting questions that any theoretical framwork would have to address. It makes a valuable contribution, not only to the area of imperatives but also to the area of clause structure in general!' - Chung-hye Han, English Language and Linguistics

Autorentext
LAURA RUPP is a Lecturer in English Language and Linguistics at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam. She undertook her doctoral research at the University of Essex.

Inhalt
Acknowledgements CHAPTER ONE: IMPERATIVES AND THE MINIMALIST PROGRAM Introduction Theoretical Framework: the Minimalist Program Summary of the Data A Final Note CHAPTER TWO: FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES IN IMPERATIVE CLAUSE STRUCTURE The Problem INFL (AGR) COMP ASP(ect) CHAPTER THREE: (C)OVERT IMPERATIVE SUBJECTS The Issues Restrictions on Available Subject-DPs The Status of the Overt Imperative Subject The Identity of the Subject of Imperatives CHAPTER FOUR: THE SYNTAX AND STATUS OF DO(N'T) IN IMPERATIVES The Puzzle Against Imperative- Do(n't) Analyses The Status of Don't in Imperatives The Syntax of Do(n't) in Imperatives CHAPTER FIVE: THE SYNTAX OF SUBJECTS IN IMPERATIVES The EPP (-feature) The Position of the Subject in 'Inverted' Imperatives Subject Position(s) Revisited: Optional Movement CHAPTER SIX: MARKING NEGATION The Puzzle Previous Analyses An Alternative Analysis CHAPTER SEVEN: IMPERATIVE SUBJECTS IN GERMANIC Dutch Belfast English West Flemish German Danish CHAPTER EIGHT: DISCUSSION Motivating Movement Non-Raising to SpecIP Optional Raising to SpecIP Raising to SpecFP Conclusion Notes References Index