S-Lab - Tonia Bleam and Victor Chamot
S-Lab - Tonia Bleam and Victor Chamot
Monday October 19, Tonia and Victor tell S-Lab about Wh-Final syntax in Sign Languages.
In the vast majority of spoken languages, wh-expressions, such as who, how and when, occur either at the left periphery of the sentence or in the position corresponding to their grammatical function, such as subject or object. Spoken languages in which wh-expressions systematically occupy a dedicated right-peripheral position are extremely rare. In contrast, many sign languages allow, or sometimes require, wh-expressions at the right periphery. This presentation focuses on Cecchetto, Geraci and Zucchi (2009), who attempt to explain this difference through data from Italian Sign Language (LIS). Their explanation relates rightward wh-movement to the modality of signing, particularly nonmanual marking and the possibility of expressing grammatical information through the hands and face simultaneously. They also discuss the role of memory and sentence processing. On the other hand, Nunes and Quadros (2006, 2008) discuss doubling, and wh-doubling, in Brazilian Sign Language. They explain the presence of a final wh-element through leftward movement of the wh-item to a emphatic focus head, followed (broadly) by remnant movement of the remaining clause (and a bunch of other movements that we may see in the presentation). Wh-doubling is then explained by the spell-out of more than one copy. The two analysis address different structures, they do not need to be contradictory in that regard. That said, the tension between them concerns whether a rightward wh- position is necessary, or whether leftward + remnant movement (and a bunch of assumption about linearization and left periphery movement) would be enough to give a general theory of wh- final position. Cechetto et al. provides a range of arguments for the former analysis in LIS.