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

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Paul seems to her to be unpleasant/sympathetic/unpleasant to them.
(Rezac 2010a)
The multiple dative clitic clusters created by raising overlap with those ruled
out by the PCC on the surface, because 1 st /2 nd person clitics are syncretic for dative
and accusative. Only the PCC clusters license the repair. Perhaps the problem
with multiple dative clitics is a syntactic one distinct from the PCC (Postal 1981,
1983, 1984). However, the variation among speakers and its pattern suggest a
morphological ban on the repetition of identical features, strongest for 3.DAT +
3.DAT, weakest for 1/2.DAT + 3.DAT (Rezac 2010a). If so, it belongs outside
syntax, and a syntactic repair will not see it by modularity. 84
4.6.3 Arbitrary clitic cluster gaps
There are other clitic cluster gaps that belong to the morpho(phono)logy. Two
would be fixed by the PCC repair because they involve dative or accusative clitics.
They are discussed in Rezac (2010a), which the following discussion resumes.
One is the absence of ?*3SG.DAT + LOC lui y [(l)ɥii] for many speakers, in contrast
to ?3PL.DAT + LOC leur y [lœʁi], (189) (cf. Miller and Monachesi 2003:
3.4, Morin 1981: 99 note 6, Couquaux 1975: 50, Blanche-Benveniste 1975: 77f.,
85, Herslund 1988: 60f., 320f., de Kok 1985: 368, Grevisse and Goosse 2008:
682.3°). Phonological hiatus plays a role, but perhaps only by exacerbating a morphological
feature similarity of the dative and locative clitics, while factors like
subcategorization attenuate it. Where lui y is ungrammatical, an unfocussed strong
pronoun for the dative remains impossible. The PCC repair does not respond to
this gap, in contrast to an alternation of (189) to add the PCC, (190). 85
(189) C'est parce que le nid protège ses petitsi / son petiti que
a. l'oiseau leuri y donne à manger.
b. l'oiseau y donne à manger *à euxi / EUX.
the bird them.DAT LOC gives to eat to them / THEM
c. *l'oiseau luii y donne à manger.
d. l'oiseau y donne à manger *à luii / LUI.
the bird him.DAT LOC gives to eat to him / HIM
Because the nest protects its young, the bird feeds them/*him/HIM there.
(Rezac 2010a)
(190) C'est parce que son petiti a faim que
84 The other context where multiple datives are brought together is in causatives; see Appendix
A. Either a syntactic or a morphological account would extend to the mechanism suggested
there. In raising like (187), both the datives brought together must be disjoint from the matrix =
embedded subject, unlike in the ECM and causatives structures of Appendix A.
85 The questionnaire results are clear about the impossibility of the strong pronoun. Speakers
split on lui y, half perceiving the gap or only mildly, half sharply. Leur y is always better, but
some do find it degraded. The results bear out Morin (1981: 99 note 6), Rezac (2010b).