Expanding the Scope of Control and Raising

Abstract

This paper presents unusual patterns in raising and control and offers a syntactic account which would validate such patterns. On the empirical side, we present evidence for backward control (data from several languages), backward raising (in Adyghe), copy control (Zapotec, Assamese, Tongan) and copy raising (data from a number of languages). All the unusual cases of raising and control seem to involve an A-movement chain in which the lower, not the higher copy is pronounced, or both copies are spelled out. We also review some constructions which, while superficially resembling backward or copy structure, do not provide any evidence for a movement chain. On the theoretical side, assuming that the more unusual patterns are an empirical reality, linguistic theory should be capable of analyzing them. We present mechanisms from the current Minimalist Program which we believe allow the attested variation.