動詞句内主語仮説
課題 > 詳細 > 指定部の普遍性

動詞句内主語仮説が提唱された1980年代後半は、Stowell (1981, 1983) やSafir (1983)が小節 (英: small clause) の存在を提唱した後にあたる。
小節とは、命題内容を持っているが、定形節や非定形節に存在する屈折要素やコピュラを欠く、主語と述部の対をいう。
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| ()   | a.   | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. | I consider [AP John [A' very stupid]]. |
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| ()   | b.   | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. | I expect [PP that sailor [P' off my ship] (by midnight)]. |
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このように、Stowellらの分析では、非動詞述語範疇 (A, P, N) の主語は、それぞれの投射内の指定部に生起する。
この背景にある重要な研究史として、Chomsky (1986)以前は、SやS'が指定部を持つとは考えられていなかったが、Jackendoff (1974, 1977a, 1977b) により提唱されたXバー理論において、主に主語を格納するための統語位置として、指定部の存在が仮定された。Xバー理論はすべての句範疇が同様の構造を持つことを仮定するため、VPも他の句範疇と同様の構造を持つことが理論上予測されるが、Spec-VPは従来の仮定上は穴あきになるというジレンマがあった (図1, 2も参照)。VPに指定部を認める動詞句内主語仮説は、従来の分析が孕むこの問題も同時に解決し、全ての範疇の投射に指定部の位置が存在するという帰無仮説 (英: null hypothesis) が保持される。