Wh-Questions : Infinitives, Null Subjects and the Problem of Interpretation

Abstract

In the present chapter we investigate the occurrence of root infinitives and child null subjects in Wh-questions. The crucial predictions from the ATOM model and from truncation are the following. ATOM predicts the occurrence of infinitives and null subjects in fronted Wh questions and, due to the morphological analysis of French or Danish also predicts null subjects in finite fronted Wh questions. Moreover, if a language has a fronted and an insitu structure for Wh-questions, ATOM predicts no differences in these two structures as to the licensing of infinitives or null subjects. Truncation, on the other hand, predicts that languages with a clear distinction of finite verbal forms and infinitives will not show infinitives in fronted Wh-questions, and clearly prohibits the occurrence of child null subjects in finite fronted Whquestions. As to the predictions on in-situ questions, there are some things to be considered before clear statements can be derived in a truncation framework.