Abstract
Recent work has suggested that head-complement word order should be accounted for with parameters that specify the direction of case and θ-role assignment. Evidence against this view is presented here. I will show that such a system (1) requires a type of X’-internal movement not countenanced by current theory and for which no empirical support exists, (2) predicts the existence of word orders that are not in fact attested, and (3) is unable to account for the word order of Mandarin Chinese. A new account of the word order inside X’ is proposed, which states that only natural classes of elements are able to appear on one side or the other of the head. These natural classes are defined in terms of θ-roles and case.
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