Abstract
In this paper, I propose that the specificity effect is able to improve or override weak crossover (WCO) phenomena, since [+specific] features associated with D-linking elements overtly move in wh-questions. These crossover configurations have been described in terms of syntactic factors. Postal (1971, 1993) and Wasow (1979) both refer to these kinds of crossover phenomena. Strong Crossover (SCO) violates the crossover principle or Binding Condition C. In contrast, WCO phenomena have remained marginal. The local constraints are not available to explain the variation associated with discourse connectivity, which includes WCO phenomena, or to capture pragmatic variation in context. From the perspective of semantic and pragmatic approaches, I suggest that specificity related to discourse context is able to explain the degree of the grammatical acceptability of wh-phrases in WCO configuration.
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