The Parameterization of Feature Inheritance and the Synchronic and Diachronic Study of the Verb-Second Phenomenon

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K16749
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Tohoku University (2016-2017); Chukyo University (2015)
• Principal Investigator: MIKAMI SUGURU 東北大学, 高度教養教育・学生支援機構, 講師 (60706795)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: V2現象 / 素性継承システムのパラメータ化 / Strong Uniformity / 共時的研究 / 通時的研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study has validated the parameterization of feature inheritance advocated by Miyagawa (2010) through the synchronic and diachronic investigation of the so-called "V2 phenomenon." More specifically, the study has proposed a new approach to the linguistic phenomenon, in which the V2 word order is derived through both the A-movement of a non-subject element to the Spec of TP and V-to-T movement, which are considered appropriate in the syntactic system of Focus-prominent languages. Furthermore, focusing on the historical fact that both the movements were lost in the Late Middle English and Early Modern English periods, it has proven that the English syntax underwent a parametric change from a Focus-prominent language to a Subject-prominent language.

Free Research Field

言語学、英語学