Adverbial and Argument-Doubling Clauses in Cree - MSpace

Cree has been described as a pronominal argument language. This classification implies
that argument positions in Cree are not available to overt NPs. Instead, argument positions are
located within the verbal cornplex, and are filled by non-overt pronominal arguments. Overt NPs
are located in non-argument positions.
This thesis argues that subordinate clauses are also located in non-argument positions.
While this might suggest that pronominal argument languages would lack complement clauses
(i.e., no argument position for a clause) there is evidence to show that subordinate clauses can be
divided into those with complement-like properties, and those which have adjunct-like properties.
Unlike previous treatments of subordinate clauses, where these clauses were differentiated by a
difference in structural position (i.e., argument versus adjunct) this analysis does not base the
division on structural position. Following a distinction found in overt NPs, I propose that
subordinate clauses are differentiated by whether or not they are an argument-doubling
expression. Argument-doubling clauses display complement-like properties, while non-argumentdoubling
(adverbial) clauses show adjunct-like properties. We will examine differences in
distribution, proximate re-assignment and extraction between thex two types of subordinate
clause.
1 daim that Argument-doubling expressions are included within the domain of the
argument with which they are referentially-linked. This proposai accounts for the restrictions on
proximate re-assignment, as well as suggesting a new perspective on the copying-to-object
construction in Cree.