On a Surface Structure Constraint in Hungarian

Abstract

It is possible to apply the concept of surface-structure constraint to a particular area of Hungarian syntax. A surface-structure constraint, according to David Perlmutter, can be seen as a template which serves as a filter at some level after the transformational component. In the case of Hungarian cooccurrence of noun phrases and verbs in a clause, the constraint operates after the input to the phonological component and determines whether a sentence will be grammatical or not. The constraint declares that, if a clause contains an indefinite noun phrase in the accusative case and a finite verb, the verb has to be in the indefinite conjulgation. The constraint operates in addition to the verb-object agreement rule. A similar constraint seems to be operative also in English. :VM) ON A SURFACE STRUCTURE CONSTRAINT IN HUNGARIAN Michael Szamosi U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION & WELFA RE OFFICE OF EL UOATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY Ar RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATIDN ORIGINATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS S7ATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCA7ION POSITION OR POLICY. The present paper deals with the verb-object agreement rule and the wh-movement rule in Hungarian. The results of the interaction of these rules suggest the conclusion that there exists a surface structure constraint which restricts the co-occurence of noun-phrases and verbs in a clause It is this constraint which renders some expressions ungrammatical. First, some facts: Hungarian transitive verbs have two forms of conjugation. One, the indefinite conlueaLim,is used whenever the direct object of the verb is indefinite (i.e., a noun with an indefinite article egv (a, one), plurals without article, etc.). (This conjugation is also used for intransitive verbs; verbs without an object, or with an object in a non-accusative case.) The other, the definite conjugation, is used with syntactically definite direct objects (i.e., with the definite article a, az (the), with possessive forms, proper names, etc.). Thus: 1. a. Akart egy k.Onyvet He wantedInd a book-Acc He wanted a book. b. Akarta He wantedDef a k'Onyvet k the book-Acc He wanted the book. TO REPRODUCE THIS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY IN S TO ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE U.S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION. FURTHER REPRODUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM REOUIRES PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER. c. *Akarta He wantedDef d. *Akart He wantedInd egy konyvet