22. θ-Theory

θ-criterion: Each argument bears one and only one θ-role, and each

θ-role is assigned to one and only one argument―overt anaphors

(reflexive pronoun, NP-t), pronominals(I, you, we, he, PRO,,,),

lexical NP, wh-t, clause.

>> θ-role is assigned to NP(argument) by a verb and preposition

a. John [VP [V loves] Mary].

↑↑ | | ↑↑

indirectly directly

θ-marking θ-marking

external argument internal argument

b. [NP e] was admired John by Mary

c. [NP e] seems [S John to [VP be intelligent]]

d. John believes [S Bill to be sick]

e. [S Johni seems [S ti to be considered [S ti to be intelligent]]]

↑ |↑ |

+case -case -case

-θ-role -θ-role +θ-role

f. There seems to be some reasons

g. It is certain that John will win.

h. They took advantage of John.

i. Advantage was taken of John.

j. [NP ] was killed John by Fred. (DS)

| ↑ | ↑

patient θ-role agent θ-role

John was killed t by Fred. (SS)

⇑ |

inherited θ-role

k. [S John{was believed, seems} [S t' to have been killed t ]] (SS)

-θ -θ +θ

※ a. [NP [NP e] [N'[N destruction] [NP the city]]]

| ↑

+θ

b. destruction of the city → of-insertion for case assignment

c. the city's destruction → movement for case assignment, POSS-insertion

'the city' has a θ-role inherited from the base position

♧ θ-role cannot be assigned to the subject position in passive and raising structure, in which the NP has an inherited θ-role that assigned in D-structure.

23. Chain Constraint: A chain must have only one θ-role and only one case.

a. John seems [ t to be in good health] (John, t)

+case -case

-θ-role +θ-role

b. *John seems [ t is in good health] (John, t) ⇒ case-conflict

+case +case

-θ-role +θ-role