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

246
phoric properties (Creissels 2008b). Unlike 1PL on, the quasi-existential on is inert
for anaphora and quantification. The quasi-universal on is visible to them like
1PL on, and its meaning intersects with that of we/you pronouns on their generic,
quasi-universal use (cf. Moltmann 2006). However the quasi-universal on only antecedes
soi-type anaphora and 1PL on only 1PL anaphora, in the same way as one,
we, you even on their shared generic use: Onei paints one's/*our home in a unique
way, We (all) paint our/*one's home in a unique way, You paint your/*one's home
in a unique way (similarly in French). 184
In all the uses of on, it controls 3SG agreement on the verb, and the 3 rd person
subject-oriented reflexive se, both as the inherent reflexive of the verb se fier
'trust' in (374), and as a true reflexive and reciprocal in (376). This phi-set comes
to on from its source in Latin homō 'man'. It is in striking contrast with the 1PL
phi-set of the 1PL on for all other purposes. The reflexive object clitic of 1PL on
must be se, not 1PL nous, (376)a, (376)c. By contrast, if a phrasal anaphor doubles
the clitic, it must be the 1PL nous-même, (376)b, and likewise all other anaphoric
pronouns must also be 1PL (cf. Table 6.2). The 1PL phi-set of 1PL on also has the
effect of barring the 1PL nous as a disjoint object clitic due to Condition B, so that
if nous is present, the quasi-universal or quasi-existential reading of on is forced,
as in (376)d, (376)e (cf. Morin 1978: 364).
(376) a. Nousi, oni s'esti présenté à nosi hôtes d'abord. (on1PL)
Wei (nous), wei (on) introduced ourselvesi (se) to ouri (nos) hosts first.
b. Oni sei présente nous-mêmesi aux élections. (on1PL)
Wei (on) will present ourselvesi (se…nous-mêmes) at the elections.
c. Partout oni sei/nous*i présente à nosi hôtes d'abord. (on1PL)
Everywhere wei (on) present ourselvesi (se/*nous) to ouri (nos) hosts.
d. Partout oni sei/nousk/*i présente à sesi/nosk hôtes d'abord. (on∀)
184 Quasi-universal on can relate to other quasi-universal pronouns at a distance, as in English (i);
in French they are nous 'we', vous 'you(PL)', but not te 'you(SG)', suggesting a basic plurality to
on (Morin 1978: 364, 1982: 14 note 1, Oukada 1982: 103, 105, Creissels 2008b: 5.4, Kayne
1975: 172 note 123, 2000: 184 note 50, Grevisse and Goosse 2008: §574(e)). In 'simulations' of
the type (ii), both the 1PL and quasi-universal on appear in French, as can be seen from the
linked pronouns (cf. Morin 1978: 4.2, 1982: 14f., Oukada 1982, Creissels 2008b: 6.2.3).
(i) We all have to adjust to a new culture. At first you really have to watch yourself/*oneself.
You/one can easily get in trouble.
(cf. Wechsler and Zlatić 2000: 804)
(ii) a Alors, oni ne pense qu' à soii/nousi/*toii?
So, we/onei (on) think(s) only about oneselfi/ourselvesi/*yourselfi?
b (*Et toii/vousi,) oni sei croit loyal/loyaux
(*And you(SG/PL),) onei (=you) believes oneselfi/oneselvesi loyal.SG/PL
à sesi/leurs*i/*vosi principes?
to onei's/their*i/*youri principles?