The Malagasy Subject/Topic as an A′-Element

• Published in: Natural language and linguistic theory Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 381 - 457
• Main Author: Pearson, Matthew
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.05.2005; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Austronesian languages; Chickens; Children; Clauses; Descriptive studies and applied theories; Grammatical case; Grammatical clauses; Grammatical subject; Icelandic; Icelandic language; Linguistic complements; Linguistics; Malagasy; Malagasy language; Morphological analysis; Morphology; Movement; Nominative case; Northwest Austronesian Languages; Noun Phrases; Predicates; Principles and parameters approach; Pronouns; Relative clauses; Subject; Syntactic movement; Syntactic Structures; Syntax; Topic and Comment; Topics; Verbs; Voice; Wh Phrases; Syntactic position; Verbal argument; Generative syntax; Theme; Noun phrase; Principles and parameters theory; Grammatical subject
• ISSN: 0167-806X; 1573-0859
• DOI: 10.1007/s11049-004-1582-7

As in other Philippine-type languages, clauses in Malagasy contain a structurally and referentially prominent DP constituent, the TRIGGER, whose grammatical function is indicated by VOICE morphology on the verb. The trigger shares functional properties with both subjects and topics in other languages. In the Principles and Parameters literature, most researchers identify the trigger as a structural subject, located in the position where nominative case is checked. In this paper, I present evidence that the trigger occupies an A′-position comparable to that of topics in verb-second languages such as Icelandic. I also consider some of the consequences of this analysis: I suggest that voice morphology in Malagasy, rather than marking relation-changing operations like passive, (indirectly) encodes the abstract case features of the A′-chain linked to the trigger, making it akin to WH-AGREEMENT in Chamorro. In addition, I argue for a non-traditional treatment of the well-known A′-extraction restrictions in Malagasy, usually captured by means of a language-specific constraint prohibiting extraction of non-subjects. Treating the trigger as a topic rather than a subject, I propose that wh-movement competes with topicalization for the same A′-position (as in verb-second languages), rendering the two operations mutually exclusive within a clause.