Cyclicity in A-Movement

In this paper, we examine operations that eliminate uninterpretable features in the recent version of the Minimalist Program presented in Chomsky (1998), and propose that defective T lacks EPP feature, contrary to Chomsky’s assumption. It is shown that if defective T is given EPP feature, problems arise in deleting ψ-feature of defective infinitival T in expletive raising constructions, since ψ-feature of expletive there, being defective, is not capable of deleting the probe. Reviewing arguments for SPEC position of infinitival T, we show that EPP feature is not forced or necessary for tenseless T. Thus, we suggest that there is no successive cyclic A-movement through SPEC of defective T.