For the first sentence in part 1 Claudia gave mustard to Oliver<\/i>, we do want to assume here that to Oliver<\/i> is a Goal. That is to say, it is connected to the tree using Merge, in the same way that we saw in class basically. The other possibility for a PP like to Oliver<\/i> is that it might have been an adjunct, a modifier, setting the scene. But adjuncts don’t get theta-roles, so if the PP is a Goal, it must have been attached with Merge and not with Adjoin.<\/p>\n
Here are a couple of sentences that I think can constitute evidence of this. First, consider a couple of uncontroversial adjuncts like the PPs in the office<\/i> and by lamplight<\/i>. There is no problem switching the order of these, so long as they come after to Oliver<\/i>. But if to Oliver<\/i> isn’t first, then any order we choose sounds weird.<\/p>\n
Claudia gave mustard to Oliver in the office by lamplight<\/p>\n
Claudia gave mustard to Oliver by lamplight in the office<\/p>\n
*Claudia gave mustard by lamplight to Oliver in the office<\/p>\n
*Claudia gave mustard in the office to Oliver by lamplight<\/p>\n
*Claudia gave mustard in the office by lamplight to Oliver<\/p>\n
*Claudia gave mustard by lamplight in the office to Oliver<\/p>\n
I’ll leave it up to you to see why this test shows that to Oliver<\/i> must be low, inside the VP, and not a PP attached to the VP (or v<\/i>P) by adjunction. But these facts do suggest that pretty strongly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For the first sentence in part 1 Claudia gave mustard to Oliver, we do want to assume here that to Oliver is a Goal. That is to say, it is connected to the tree using Merge, in the same way that we saw in class basically. The other possibility for a PP like to Oliver …<\/p>\n