The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York
The Syntax and Semantics of Korean Wh-Quantification: Wh-NPIs and Wh-In-Situ
Abstract
dc:description.abstract<p>This dissertation investigates the syntactic and semantic aspects of long-distance dependency involved in Korean wh-Negative Polarity Items (NPIs). Korean wh-NPIs consist of a wh-item and a focus particle <em>-to</em> meaning `also' or `even'. In all reported cases, the wh-item and <em>-to</em> appear adjacent to each other. However, the wh-item and <em>-to</em> can appear discontinuously when the NPI licenser is located in a different clause from the wh-NPI. I will call this new form of wh-NPIs "split wh-NPIs". The central claims of this dissertation are the following. The first, long-distance dependency displayed in split wh-NPIs is attained via overt movement of a focus particle <em>-to</em> `also/even' in an effort to form a local relation with an NPI licenser. Second, <em>-to</em> is interpreted with its associated wh-item via point-wise semantic composition without forming a local relation at LF. These conclusions are motivated by finding two sets of new data: 1) split wh-NPIs cannot be formed across island boundaries, 2) split wh-NPIs are susceptible to focus intervention effects. This analysis has important implications for another wh-in-situ construction in Korean, wh-questions. By comparing split wh-NPIs with wh-in-situ questions, I argue that wh-in-situ questions do not involve any type of movement.</p>
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Level thesis:degree_level
- Doctoral
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Linguistics
- Grantor
- The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York
- Year dc:date.available
- 2020
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Lee-Sikka, Yeonju
- Advisors dc:contributor.advisor
-
- Sam Al Khatib
- Jason Kandybowicz
- Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember
-
- Jonathan Nissenbaum
Subjects
dc:subject × 7Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Repository record dc:identifier
- https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/4084
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:gc_etds-5157