Abstract
This paper explores rude type and eager type adjectives and provides an answer for the riddle of why each type of adjective differs in the way that arguments are realized syntactically. The paper proposes each argument structure for the rude and eager type of adjective within the framework of the theta system proposed by Reinhart (2002). Specifically, the former includes the three theta clusters: the [+c] cluster, the [-c+m] cluster, and the optional [-m] cluster. The latter consists of the two theta clusters: the [-c+m] cluster, and the [-m] cluster. The proposed single entry of the rude type yields two derived entries: one is the marked entry that results from the lexicon marking rule. The other is the reduced marked entry derived from the marked entry by the reduction operation. On the basis of the two entries, the CS merging instructions build up the two corresponding syntactic structures. These structures derive different argument realizations from their interaction with the operation in the syntax. In contrast, the eager type can only derive a single marked entry by the application of the lexicon marking rule. This type is not subject to the reduction operation because of the lack of the [+c] cluster. Thus, according to this single marked entry, the CS merging instructions generate a single syntactic structure for the eager type. Furthermore, we show that the rude type of adjective is different from the eager type of adjective with respect to the position where an infinitival clause merges. In the former, it merges in the external position, while in the latter, it merges in the internal position. On the basis of this difference, we account for the additional syntactic differences in the (in)ability to pied-pipe an infinitival clause, the nominalization process, and the possibility of extraction.
