Jaume Solà i Pujols - Departament de Filologia Catalana ...

(34) Sempre/mai /ja /encara (*en Joan) hi va
Always/never/already/still (the J.) there-goes
'Joan always/never/already/still goes there'
So these elements are likely to occupy the specifier of the head where the verb stands in
finite sentences. 120 In fact, the generalization is that these adverbs can precede the verb in
precisely the constructions having proclisis: finite sentences (except affirmative imperatives, but
including negative imperatives), and cannot in the constructions having proclisis: infinitives,
gerunds and affirmative imperatives. In the latter case, they obligatorily follow the verb:
(35) a. infinitives: (*ja) anar-hi (ja) avui
(*already) go-there (alr.) today
'to already go there'
b. gerunds: (*ja) anant-hi (ja) avui
(*already) going-there (alr.) today
'already going there'
120 Remember that in NSL Spec of AGR is not necessarily
filled by the subject DP, so there is no problem if we assume
this specifier is Spec of AGR. Ja 'already/yet' and encara
'still/yet' can precede the other adverbs in preverbal subject,
giving marginal results:
(i) ?Ja sempre ve a classe
Already always comes to class
Possibly these two adverbs can be adjuncts to AGRP in
addition to being specifiers.
In fact, we will assume that Spec of AGR is filled by PRO
in control structures, but the facts in 0 are independent of
control (they show up in non-controlled infinitives and
imperatives).
1