The rise of lexical subjects in English covert infinitives

Abstract

This paper explores subjectness of the so-called covert infinitives in English. Control and raising-to-subject infinitives are known to have a covert or null subject; hence they are known as the covert infinitives. Recently, there is a debate whether these infinitives are still subject-less or have lexical subjects like raising-to-object infinitives. Therefore, the paper seeks to review the rise of lexical subject of the commonly known covert infinitives. The paper is premised within the Radical Minimalism Theory (RM). The results reveal that from the Government and Binding theory to Orthodox Minimalist Program perspectives, the subjectness of the control and raising-to-subject infinitives are PRO and trace-copy (t), respectively. However, starting from the Movement Theory of Control (MTC) to the RM, a shift has been recognised due to elimination of PRO, as well as adoption of recursion and displacement. To show that the subjects for both control and raising-to-subject infinitives are derived in a similar fashion, the present paper argues that they have similar subject, which is t. Within the MTC and RM, the English covert infinitives now have a lexical subject as one determinative phrase (DP) bears multiple roles.