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- Title
Being progressive is just a phase: celebrating the uniqueness of progressive aspect under a phase-based analysis.
- Authors
Harwood, William
- Abstract
The identity of phasal boundaries has mostly been considered in light of minimal CP-TP-vP-VP structures. The question this paper addresses is where the clause-internal phase boundary lies in light of more complex structures in which aspectual projections intervene between TP and vP. I claim progressive aspect to be unique amongst aspectual forms in English in that it is part of the clause-internal phase, whilst perfect aspect and all higher functional items are contained within the CP/TP phase. This claim accounts for many peculiar quirks of progressive aspect in English, namely in VP ellipsis, fronting phenomena, idioms and existential constructions. On the theoretical front I argue that this division in the aspectual hierarchy is best understood through a variable approach to phases in which the highest projection within a sub-numeration acts as the phase, irrespective of what that projection is. This denies vP of its exclusivity as the clause-internal phase, and allows the progressive layer to project the phase when present. This approach generally sits in line with the move towards a dynamic understanding of phases, as per Bobaljik and Wurmbrand (), Wurmbrand (, ) and Bošković (, ).
- Subjects
SYNTAX (Grammar); IDIOMS; ENGLISH language; LINGUISTICS research; EXISTENTIAL constructions (Grammar)
- Publication
Natural Language & Linguistic Theory, 2015, Vol 33, Issue 2, p523
- ISSN
0167-806X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11049-014-9267-3