RECONSTRUCTION, CYCLIC TRANSFER AND REINTEGRATION

Abstract

This paper provides a new analysis of the argument/adjunct asymmetry with respect to reconstruction for Condition C and its exceptions. It will be pointed out that Takahashi and Hulsey’s (2009) wholesale late merger analysis is confronted with some theoretical and empirical difficulties. In particular, the countercyclic nature of late merger casts doubt on the feasibility of their analysis within the recent minimalist framework. This paper takes a different approach and shows that the reconstruction facts are accounted for without postulating countercyclic operations in terms of the interaction between cyclic Transfer and constraints on interpretation of features.