Abstract

BASTOS-GEE, Ana C.. The structure of ethical constructions and the constraint on co-reference in brazilian portuguese. Diacrítica [online]. 2014, vol.28, n.1, pp.5-32. ISSN 0807-8967.

In this paper I discuss aspects of the grammar of ethical pronouns in Brazilian Portuguese, investigating the position where they are first merged into the structure and providing evidence that they undergo A’-movement to a projection in the split IP system (called OrientP), in order to check/ value a feature [+S] related to the sentential force and speaker orientation. Additionally, I study a constraint on co-reference: ethical pronouns cannot co-refer with referential elements in the same CP. I analyze the constraint on co-reference as a strong crossover violation in the sense of Postal (1971), Wasow (1972), Lasnik (1976).

Keywords : ethical constructions; pronouns; co-reference; speaker orientation.

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