Seminar: Ling C: Feeding and Bleeding in Syntax (advanced)

This course investigates the view of syntactic objects as bundles of features, which merge and agree with other bundles of features to build structure. In particular, we will explore how subset relationships between different feature bundles have consequences for the order of operations. Subset relationships between feature bundles make it so that some derivational choices feed others, and some bleed others. As a result, relationships between feature bundles define what consequences we should observe from different orders of operations. We will explore the consequences of this approach in the domain of agreement, Merge and their interaction in several languages and contexts, including: Romance past participle agreement, cross-linguistic variation in the morphosyntax of subject vs. object wh-questions, and A/A-bar interactions.