Projections On Wh-phrases and Interrogative C

This paper provides the specific procedure of the label projection in the C space for wh-movement under the split CP hypothesis (Rizzi 1997). I argue that wh-phrases have the features [Q, wh] by means of the N-to-D head raising, which makes wh-items, simple or complex, be labeled as phrasal DPs. This means that the reprojection of the CP to the DP by the wh-head cannot occur along the lines of Donati (2006). Under the assumption that the complementizer only has the E(dge)F(eature), the English C acquires the Q-feature by means of Internal Merge of a wh-phrase bearing the [Q, wh] to [Spec,C]. The Q-feature is not base-generated on the C, whose Q is inherited from the wh-phrase occupying [Spec,C]. The transmission of the Q-feature to the C plays a part in making the C reprojected to the FocusP(or QP) during the derivation.