Free Relatives and Projections

This paper illustrates that whether the embedded clause is the free relative or the indirect Question is determined during the derivation. The matrix verb is in a c- selectional relation with the embedded C (i.e., the V-C relation). It is with the embedded C bearing the [Q, wh, phi] features rather than with the wh- item occupying [Spec,CP] that the matrix verb enters into the selection relation. If the C[ wh, Q] is selected by the matrix verb, it is chosen as the label of the Focus(or QP) that leads to the indirect Question. If the C[phi] is selected by the matrix verb, it is chosen as the label of the DP that leads to the free relative. I further argue that wh-movement takes place to determine the unspecified label of the C.