Double Object Constructions
and the Zero Morpheme G

Abstract

PAPPI is a modular parsing system in the Principles-and-Parameters (P&P) framework. The components of the system are designed with flexibility and theory change in mind. Rules and principles are written using linguistically-motivated constructs based on declarative logic. This allows modification by the user to accommodate (appropriately compatible) changes to grammar.

The following sections lay out how a "plug-in" grammar module might be developed by the user. PAPPI's default P&P grammar, an instantiation of Government-Binding (GB) theory, contains a rather limited and simple treatment of double object constructions, i.e. [_VP [_V2 [_V1 V DO] IDO]].

Details of how the system can be easily "upgraded" to properly handle a larger variety of double object constructions are provided below. We implement the theory described in Chapter 5 of Zero Syntax (Pesetsky 95), incorporating inter alia a zero dyadic preposition G.

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