Levin (1978, 1986) argues that gapping is transformationally irrelevant to pseudogapping. However, Agbayani and Zoerner (2004) argue that gapping and pseudogapping are transformationally associated in the sense that they both involve the application of sideward verb movement. Adopting Johnson s (1994) across-the-board movement analysis of gapping and Nunes s (1995, 2001, 2004) sideward movement proposal, they raise certain issues against the VP ellipsis analyses of pseudogapping (e.g., Jayaseelan 1990, Lasnik 1999, Johnson 2000, Boeckx 2000, Kim 2000). In this paper, I show that the verb movement analysis of pseudogapping is not promising. Ultimately, I maintain that pseudogapping is a discourse-oriented variant of VP ellipsis.
1. Introduction
2. Pseudogapping vs. Gapping
3. (Coordinated) Pseudogapping vs. Comparative Ellipsis
4. A Sideward Verb Movement Account of Pseudogapping
5. Defending the VP Ellipsis Approach
6. Conclusion