Micro-parametric variation in Romance causative constructions

Abstract

The paper deals with the syntax of analytic causative constructions with infinitival and subjunctive complementation. The study puts special emphasis on the syntactic position of the embedded subject (sensitive to the type of complement selected by the causative verb) and delves into the micro-parametric variation of Catalan, Spanish, and Romanian causatives. Sound empirical evidence indicates that Romance causatives are built on two different underlying structures: one involves complex predicate formation; the other Exceptional Case Marking of the embedded subject by the causative verb. We argue in favour of (i) treating the complex faire-infinitive construction as an instance of restructuring, in which faire is a restructuring verb and the infinitive a defective domain (Catalan), and (ii) analyzing the causative constructions with pre-infinitival subjects in Spanish and Romanian as cases of Exceptional Case Marking (in Chomsky’s 2000 and 2001 framework).

Keywords

• analytic causatives
• restructuring
• Exceptional Case Marking
• object shift