Null Subjects in Tensed Clauses

Null Subjects in Tensed Clauses: A Brief Overview

The occurrence of the null subject in English tensed clauses--especially in informal, colloquial speech and in specialized registers such as diaries and product labels--has received much attention in the literature. While numerous scholars have attempted to account for this phenomenon, no single analysis has yet succeeded in explaining all instances of the tensed clause null subject. In this paper, I briefly overview and assess some of the past analyses on the null subject phenomenon. Rejecting the non-sentential analysis as untenable, I conclude that tensed clauses with null subjects have sentential underlying structures and, more specifically, that tensed clause null subjects are likely to be either zero topics that pick up discourse identification or the result of a phonological reduction process. The paper closes with a note on the shortcomings of the zero-topic analysis and suggestions for future research.