Case in Korean is morphologically realized by case markers, which attach to nouns as suffixes. The non-pronunciation of case markers on the NPs gives rise to two issues that call for an account. First, whereas case markers can be unpronounced in complement positions, those in canonical subject positions must be pronounced. Second, object wh-phrases without case markers can have either D-linked or non-D-linked interpretation, while subject wh-phrases without them have only D-linked interpretation. Our analysis is based on the following assumptions: (i) Nominals with unpronounced case markers are DPs whose heads are phonologically null Ds, (ii) Since EPP feature is a selectional P feature governing PF configuration, the head of the EPP satisfier must be overtly realized (Landau 2005). We advance two claims: (i) Since subjects in Korean undergo movement, the head of the subject nominals, namely case markers, must be phonetically visible. (ii) Since wh-phases without case markers in derived positions are left-dislocated nominals with null pronoun pro located in argument positions, only D-linked reading is induced like wh-resumption or wh-clitic doubling constructions observed in other languages.
1. Introduction
2. EPP-based approaches to the distribution of null Ds
3. Left-dislocated Nominals
4. Conclusion
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