Nouns and Noun Phrases - University of Macau Library

Glossary 1127
Operator:
A term borrowed from predicate calculus, where it refers to those elements that
combine with a formula ϕ, thereby creating a new formula OPϕ. Examples of such
operators are the existential operator ∃x, the universal operator ∀x, and the negative
operator ¬. In generative syntax, this notion is extended to expressions from natural
languages such as iemand ‘someone’, iedereen ‘everyone’, niet ‘not’, and whphrases
such as wie ‘who’ and wat ‘what’.
Parasitic gap:
An empty element in the sentence that is assumed to be licensed by the antecedent
of another empty element in the sentence. In (ia), the empty object position in the
infinitival clause headed by the verb lezen ‘to read’ is assumed to be licensed by the
antecedent of the trace that occupies the object position of the verb opbergen ‘to
file’. The empty position within the adjunct clause zonder te lezen cannot be the
trace of the moved wh-phrase wat ‘what’ since adjuncts are °islands for extraction.
The structure of (ia) is therefore as indicated in (ib), in which t stands for the trace
of wat, and PG is the parasitic gap.
(i) a. Wat heb je zonder te lezen opgeborgen?
what have you without to read prt.-filed
‘What did you file without reading?’
b. Wat heb je [zonder PG te lezen] t opgeborgen.
Often, it is assumed that PG is actually a trace of a phonetically empty operator OP
that is moved into the initial position of the adjunct clause. In Dutch, parasitic gaps
are licensed not only by wh-movement, but also by scrambling. This is shown in
(iia), which is assumed to have the structure in (iib), where t is the trace of the
moved direct object dat boek, and PG stands for the parasitic gap licensed by
scrambling.
(ii) a. Jan heeft dat boek zonder te lezen opgeborgen.
Jan has that book without to read prt.-filed
b. Jan heeft dat boek [zonder PG te lezen] t opgeborgen.
Passive:
Dutch has two forms of Passive. The first form is the so-called regular passive
illustrated in (ib) and (iib), which requires the presence of the auxiliary worden ‘to
be’ or zijn ‘to have been’ and promotes the direct object to subject. The second
form is the so-called semi- or krijgen-passive, illustrated in (iic), which requires the
presence of the auxiliary krijgen ‘to get’ and promotes the indirect object to subject.
(i) a. Jan verkocht de boeken.
Jan sold the books
b. Het boek werd verkocht.
the books were sold