Phi-features and the Modular Architecture of - UMR 7023 - CNRS

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Blocking of this sort captures well the character of the repair as the response
to a problem. However, it fares ill in its generality, for the repair turns out to be
specific to the PCC. French presents context after context where dative and accusative
clitics are unavailable, yet unfocussed strong pronouns are likewise barred.
Ineffable structures are the result. This section examines them. First come those
that would create clitic clusters surface-identical or close to those barred by the
PCC: multiple dative clitics, arbitrary gaps, mediopassive se + dative clitics. Next,
those where a cliticization site is absent or unreachable: DPs, modifiers, causatives,
coordinations and modifications. In none does the unavailability of a dative
or accusative clitic permit an unfocussed strong pronoun in its place, nor can the
locative clitic substitute for a dative in the y-grammar. The PCC remains as the
sole context licensing unfocussed strong pronouns for dative or accusative arguments.
The theory of the PCC repair must account for this fundamental fact.
Modularity will prove to play a key role, both in the discussion below, and more
generally still in the final analysis of chapter 5.7.
4.6.2 Multiple dative clitics
Clitic climbing may bring together several dative clitics, as in (187) where a
raising verb with a dative experiencer embeds a small clause with a dative of its
own. The outcome is not tolerated by any for 3.DAT + 3.DAT clusters, by some
only for 1/2.DAT + 3.DAT, while 1/2.DAT + 2/1.DAT clusters are intermediate.
When such clusters are rejected, the PCC repair is impossible, (188), both in its
strong pronoun and locative clitic incarnations (Couquaux 1975: 53, Kayne 1975:
175, Tasmowski 1985: 259 note 12, Rezac 2010a).
(187) a. Ils me semblent tme [SC tils [AP fidèles aux manifestants]].
b. % Ilsi me leurk/*i semblent tme [SC tils [AP fidèles tlui]].
they me.D them.D seem faithful to.the demonstrators
They seem to me faithful to the demonstrators/ % them.
(188) a. Elle me semble infidèle à Jean-Jacques
b. *Elle me te semble infidèle
c. ?*Elle me semble infidèle à toi
she me.D you.D seems unfaithful to Jean-Jacques / you
She seems to me unfaithful to Jean-Jacques/*you.
(Kayne 1975: 175, cf. Postal 1990: 177)
d. ¥ *Paul me leur semble reconnaissant.
e. ¥ *Paul m' y semble reconnaissant (, à ses amis).
f. ¥ ?*Paul me semble reconnaissant à eux
Paul me.D them.D/LOC seems grateful to them to his friends
Paul seems to me to be grateful to them (his friends).
(Couquaux 1975: 53, 71 note 11)
g. *Paul lui leur paraît antipathique/sympathique/désagréable.
h. *Paul lui paraît antipathique/sympathique/désagréable à eux.