Abstract
This paper argues that head movement is an operation available in Narrow Syntax (contra Chomsky 2000, i.a.). It provides independent support to a line of research which suggests that head movement can impose interpretive effects. The novel evidence comes from Cantonese aspectual verbs and their interaction with other quantificational elements. I argue that aspectual verbs such as hoici ‘begin’ can undergo head movement, which can enrich the scope possibility of the verb.
Highlights
This paper argues that head movement is an operation available in Narrow Syntax (contra Chomsky (2000, i.a.)
It provides independent support to a line of research which suggests that head movement can impose interpretive effects (Lechner 2007; Roberts 2010; Szabolcsi 2011; Hartman 2011; Keine and Bhatt 2016; Matyiku 2017, i.a.) The novel evidence comes from Cantonese aspectual verbs and their interaction with other quantificational elements
It must occur in Narrow Syntax such that the LF can read off the interpretive effects of the movement
Summary
This paper argues that head movement is an operation available in Narrow Syntax (contra Chomsky (2000, i.a.). Head movement; semantic effects; verb raising; Scope Economy I first discuss the distribution of hoici ‘begin’ in Cantonese (§2) and propose a head movement analysis (§3).
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