从对虚指词合并位置的调整简析最简方案亟待解决的问题

On the Adjustment of the Merging Position of Expletives

英语虚指词(it和there)通常被认为没有指称性,但在句子的推导过程中却起着重要作用。本文通过分析Chomsky(2005a,b;2006)对虚指词合并位置的调整指出,虚指词在句法理论的构建中还存在特征赋值模式不统一、多重一致关系存在冗余等问题。但最简方案在2005年后对虚指词合并位置的调整的确使得其理论内部的探针/目标一致关系达到更高的一致性。本文通过含有两个CP结构的例句对此作了说明。

English expletives （it and there） play a crucial role in syntactic derivations, although they are usually considered to be non-referential. Chomsky（2O05a, b; 2006） put forward an adjustment of the merging position of expletives; an analysis of this adjustment reveals that further development of minimalist syntax is faced with overcoming the following inadequacies： diverging modes of feature valuation; redundancy in multiple agreement, etc. It is undeniable, however, that the adjustment of expletives＇merging position achieves greater uniformity in probe/goal relations in Minimalist Syntax, which is vividly demonstrated through the derivation of a sentence consisting of two CPs.