论不可解读特征的问题及其取消的可能

On the Problems of Uninterpretable Features and Their Eliminability

不可解读特征([uF])是生成语法最简方案的核心理论构件之一,它的删除与它在接口的不可接受性在很大程度上定义了目前句法解释的形态:删除[uF]的要求驱动句法运算,[uF]的不可接受性构成接口条件的主要内容。然而,[uF]有违背强势最简性的嫌疑,与边际特征有矛盾之处,在句法解释上有专设性,同时与句法运算和句法表征发生冗余。这些都说明取消[uF]有一定的必要性。如果[uF]被取消,这就意味着最简方案目前的框架需要重大修正。

Uninterpretable features( [uF ]) constitute one of the core theoretical constructs of the Minimalist Program. In a sense,their deletion and their unacceptability at the interfaces largely determine the minimalist account for syntactic phenomena: the need of their deletion drives syntactic computation,and their unacceptability serves as a major part of interface conditions. However, the concept of [uF ] is a violation of the Strong Minimalist Thesis( SMT),contradicting the concept of Edge Feature( EF),and the explanation it provides is largely ad hoc and redundant with that provided by syntactic operations and representations. All these considerations point to the desideratum of eliminating [uF ],which amounts to a fundamental change in the overall architecture of the Minimalist Program.