Remarks on Finite Control and Hyper-Raising in Brazilian Portuguese

Abstract

In this reply I examine Modesto’s (2011) claim that null subjects in Brazilian Portuguese (BP) are not controlled and are not derived by movement. I show that the critique has a considerable number of misconceptions, misunderstandings and misrepresentations that prevent a proper evaluation of movement approaches to null subjects in BP. When the relevant points are rectified, we see that the technical problems are inexistent and the empirical coverage of the movement approach is even more comprehensive than initially thought.

Keywords

• Movement Theory of Control (MTC)
• finite control
• hyper-raising
• null subjects
• Brazilian Portuguese