Control theory and the relationship between logophoric pronouns and logophoric uses of anaphors

• Published in: Natural language and linguistic theory Vol. 42; no. 3; pp. 897 - 954
• Main Authors: Baker, Mark C., Ikawa, Shiori
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.08.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: African languages; Anaphora; Antecedents; Control theory; Empathy; Ibibio-Efik languages; Japanese language; Linguistics; Logophoricity; Natural Language Processing (NLP); Noun phrases; Philosophy of Language; Pronouns; Relative clauses; Social Sciences; Thematic roles; Theoretical linguistics; Logophoric pronouns; Japanese; Obligatory control; Long distance anaphors; Ibibio
• ISSN: 0167-806X; 1573-0859
• DOI: 10.1007/s11049-023-09592-3

Long distance (or “exempt”) uses of anaphors in Eurasian languages are often compared to the special logophoric pronouns found in certain West African languages. By undertaking a close comparison, we show that Ibibio’s (Nigerian) dedicated logophor imọ and Japanese’s anaphor zibun display both striking similarities and some systematic differences, which we capture using control theory. Although imọ is intrinsically a pronoun and zibun an anaphor, both can be analyzed as bound by a null DP operator in the left periphery of the clause. We claim that when the containing clause is a complement or adjunct clause, the null DP operator undergoes obligatory control, such that the argument of the matrix verb that best matches its thematic role controls the null DP and becomes the ultimate antecedent of imọ or zibun . This captures the similarities between the two. The differences appear when the clause containing imọ or zibun is not in a position where obligatory control applies, as a relative clause or a root clause. In these contexts, Ibibio’s version of the null DP is ruled out, whereas Japanese’s version is permitted, being assigned a prominent (empathetic) antecedent from the sentence or discourse. This new use of control theory thus sheds light on both the similarities between logophoric pronouns and long-distance anaphors and their differences.