Exceptional Case Marking: TXnx0Vs1

Description:

This tree family is selected by verbs that are classified as exceptional case marking, meaning that the verb asssigns accusative case to the subject of the sentential complement. This is in contrast to verbs in the Tnx0Vnx1s2 family (section 6.7), which assign accusative case to a NP which is not part of the sentential complement. ECM verbs take sentential complements which are either an infinitive or a ``bare'' infinitive. As with the Tnx0Vs1 family (section 6.13), the declarative and other trees in the Xnx0Vs1 family are auxiliary trees, as opposed to the more common initial trees. These auxiliary trees adjoin onto an S node in an existing tree of the type specified by the sentential complement. This is the mechanism by which TAGs are able to maintain long-distance dependencies (see Chapter 14), even over multiple embeddings (e.g. Who did Bill expect to eat beans?) or who did Bill expect Mary to like? See section 8.6.4 for details on this family. 20 verbs select this tree family.

Examples:

expect, see
Van expects Bob to talk . Bob sees the harmonica fall .

Declarative tree:

See Figure 6.46.

{ECM Tree: $\beta$Xnx0Vs1

 

Other available trees:

wh-moved subject, subject relative clause with and without comp, adjunct (gap-less) relative clause with and without comp/with PP pied-piping, imperative, NP gerund.