On Phase Extension and head movement

Abstract

Marcel den Dikken's exploratory study on locality based on Chomsky's phase-based model of syntax diverges from Chomsky's (2000, 2001, 2004) phase theory in two crucial regards. First, the particular notion of phasehood he puts forward is defined by the semantic property of predicationality (rather than Chomsky's loosely interpreted propositionality). Second, the paper (re)introduces dynamicity to the theory of locality domains by proposing that inherent phases are extended through head movement (HM), i.e., phasehood can be inherited (compare Chomsky 1986, Bobaljik and Wurmbrand 2003).