Nouns and Noun Phrases - University of Macau Library

814 Syntax of Dutch: nouns and noun phrases
(390) a. Kees acht [SC Jan verliefd op zichzelf/*zich].
Kees considers Jan in.love on himself/REFL
‘Kees believes Jan to be in love with himself.’
a′. Kees acht [SC Jan verliefd op hem/*zich].
Kees considers Jan in.love on him/REFL
b. Kees vindt [SC Jan een probleem voor zichzelf/*zich].
Kees considers Jan a problem for himself/REFL
‘Kees believes Jan to be a problem for himself.’
b′. *Kees vindt [SC Jan een probleem voor hem/*zich].
Kees considers Jan a problem for him/REFL
The fact that the wrong predictions are made for the simplex reflexive pronoun
shows that the definition of the two domains is not as simple as we thought earlier.
Since we do not want to go into the precise definitions of local domains I and II, we
will simply enumerate which constituents may function as such. Since small clause
APs/NPs function both as domain I and domain II of the pronoun, we now correctly
predict that the simplex reflexive pronoun cannot be bound by the subject of the
clause in (390) because the latter is external to its domain II (the small clause); the
referential pronoun, on the other hand, can be bound by the subject of the clause
because the latter is external to its domain I.
(391) Binding domains for the complement of a small clause predicate (version 2)
COMPLEX REFLEXIVE &
RECIPROCAL PERSONAL PRONOUNS
DOMAIN I: DOMAIN II:
SC-PP MINIMAL CLAUSE
SC-AP
SC-AP
SC-NP
SC-NP
bound bound bound
SENTENCE
SIMPLEX REFLEXIVE PERSONAL PRONOUNS free bound bound
REFERENTIAL PERSONAL PRONOUNS free optional optional
REFERENTIAL EXPRESSION free free free
The notion of minimal clause must be made a bit more precise in light of the
fact that simplex reflexives that are part of the complement of an °AcI-construction
can be also be bound by the subject of a matrix clause. Consider the examples in
(392). Example (392a) shows that the infinitival clause functions as the local
domain I of the pronouns: the SUBJECT of this infinitival clause may bind the
complex reflexive, but not the simplex reflexive and referential pronoun. The matrix
clause clearly functions as local domain II given that the subject of this clause may
bind the simplex reflexive and referential pronouns. This may give rise to the idea
that the complement of an AcI-construction is actually not a “true” infinitival clause
but a small clause with a VP-predicate, that is, a verbal projection without finite or
infinitival tense.