Restructuring strategies as means of providing increased referentiality for the internal argument of the de-supine clause

Abstract

We analyse supines introduced by the complementizer de, regarding the syntax and interpretation of the internal argument (= IA). Syntactically, we focus on how the IA values its case feature. It is argued that complementizer de supine clauses are not homogeneous in this respect, but present three case-valuation strategies. In non-restructuring supines, the verb gets [uφ]-features by agreeing with the prepositional complementizer and subsequently licensing its IA. In restructuring supine clauses the case of the IA is valued by a functional head of the main clauses, the IA stays in the supine clause. Finally, in raising supines, the IA is licensed by a matrix functional head, but it overtly raises into the main clause. From an interpretative perspective, these three types of clauses differ regarding the semantic range of the IA; restructuring is a means of enlarging the range of available IA for the supine verb.

Keywords

• de-supines
• internal arguments
• non-restructuring
• restructuring
• raising