Proceedings of the LFG 02 Conference National Technical - CSLI ...

Jaeger & Gerassimova 2002
c-structure 4 f-structure 4
To sum up, the island data presented above is not only compatible with our theory but also
predicted by it. In the next and final section, we summarize our analysis and list some open
questions.
VII Conclusions and Outlook
We have shown how two functions/uses of the DOC interact. The DOC is a grammatical (direct
object) agreement marker and the default pronoun of Bulgarian. In contrast to the object marker in
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TOPIC but an IS-topic. This insight helps to position the DOC within a typology of (object)
markers. The DOC's object topic-marking function, in interaction with the proposed annotated
phrase structure rules (i.e. especially the functional control of fronted topic), accounts for both
obligatory TOPICalized object doubling and optional doubling of topical objects in general.
Our account stresses that linguistic forms can have several (independent) functions. This is
even more evident when we consider that the DOC has a third function as intrusive pronoun, as
mentioned in the introduction. First results of an ongoing online experiment on the intrusive
pronoun DOC in extractions support our analysis. Those results will have to be fully incorporated
into a complete account of the DOC.
The optionality of CD in many contexts shows that speakers have different options of coding
e.g. a topical object depending on the register, genre and maybe other factors (see Leafgren 1997a,
2001, 2002 for a similar thought). Possible generalizations relating the choice of forms to their
functions and other factors, such as register, merit further investigation. For example, does the
absence of intonation in written language enforce the use of alternative linguistic means (such as
more strict case marking in the case of otherwise optional case marking, or more strict word order)
to identify GFs and DFs.
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