Chapter 8 The Determiner Phrase Elly van Gelderen This chapter is about the Determiner Phrase, or DP. So far, we have just assumed the DP is a very simple structure with a D head and an NP complement. In this chapter, we’ll see that it can house a lot of additional elements. The outline is as follows. Section 1 outlines the simple DP with articles in the head D and demonstratives and possessives in the specifier position. Section 2 adds adjectives and discusses the ordering of adjectives. Section 3 examines the argument structure of DP. With deverbal nouns, there are theta‐roles in the same way as there are with verbs. In section 4, we’ll see the head N moving to other head positions, e.g. D. Section 5 is a conclusion. 1 The D, DP, Num(ber), and NumP In this section, we first consider what is in the D head and then what is in its specifier. Abney (1987) was one of the first to argue for the DP at length. We also add a Num(ber)P(hrase). In chapter 2, we distinguished between determiners (going with a noun) and pronouns (standing alone). Both of these use the DP; determiners are part of the DP whereas pronouns represent the entire DP. The list of determiners is given in Table 2.5 of chapter 2 and some simple examples with their trees appear in (1) and (2). Most people argue that the D encodes definiteness, specificity, and so on. Even when there is no overt determiners, as in (1c), I will assume there is a null D expressing genericity. (1) a. The monsters b. A monster c. Monsters (2) a. ei
ei
ei
D NP D NP D [def] N [indef] N [gen] the DP monsters b. a DP monster 1 c. DP NP N monsters We can also have an entire DP telling us whose N it is, as in (3), and the tree for that is given in (4). Because there are two separate DPs, I have numbered them. (3) That woman’s nice car. (4) wo
DP2 DP1 D1’ ei
ei
D2 NP D1 N ‘s ei That NP woman AP N A car nice As you can see, the DP in (1) encodes singular and plural and therefore a Num(ber)P can be included, as (5) shows. There are (at least) two schools of thought as to how the checking of number is done. The first, shown in (5a), is that the noun is listed in the lexicon with interpretable plural and that the uninterpretable number in the Num head checks it. The second, given in (5b), is that the noun gains plurality by moving to the Num head. It may be that different languages employ one of these but not both. (5) a. DP ei
D The b. DP ei NumP D NumP ei
The
ei Num NP Num NP [u‐num] N ‐s N monsters monster [i‐P] 2 The determiner in (1) is an article and seen as the head D. Demonstrative and possessive pronouns are often assumed (e.g. Giusti 1994) to occupy the specifier of DP, as in (6), where I have given both the number checking variant and the movement one. (6) a. DP1 wo
DP2 Those/my ei
D1 [def] ei
Num NP Num NP [u‐num] N ‐s N monsters monster [i‐P] D1’ b. DP1 wo DP2 Those/my
NumP D1’ ei D1 NumP [def] ei The demonstrative in (6) is plural and may originate in the specifier of the NumP. I’ll ignore that issue here. In section 1, we introduced a little more structure to the DP, but this is the tip of the iceberg. The next section adds adjective phrases. 2 Adjectives In chapter 3, we’ve already seen DPs and NPs that include other lexical material. We made a distinction between modifiers, which were adjoined to N’, and complements, which were sisters of the N. A typical example appears as (8) where tall and from outer space are modifiers and chemistry is a complement. 3 (8) DP ei D The ei AP A ei tall N’ ei
4 NP N from outer space N teacher chemistry NP N’ PP In (8), there is no necessary order of the modifiers; they can attach to any N’. However, just as in the case of adverb(ial)s, for which we have seen cartographies in chapters 5 and 6, the order of certain AdjPs is quite strict. Many earlier approaches have provided hierarchical structure for adjectives, e.g. Scott (2002), as is shown in (9). (9) DP ei
That CommentP ei
AP LengthP ugly ei
AP long ei
AP NP blue curtain ColorP 4 There are other classifications of adjectives. For instance, Cinque (2010) divides adjectives into those (direct modification) that are specifiers of phrases and those (indirect modification) that are reduced relative clauses. I have given the two types of modification in (10). (10) The visible stars (which are now) visible direct head indirect The direct modification are permanent qualities where the indirect ones are not. In section 2, I have provided some structures on how to fir in APs in the DP. As in the case of adverbs, one can do this by tucking in the adjectives, as in (8), or by arguing for special phrases, as in (9). 3 Argument Structure in the DP In this section, we turn to nouns that have argument structure, mostly deverbal nouns, as in (11). (11) Picasso’s painting of musicians. In (11), Picasso is the Agent and musicians the Theme of the deverbal noun painting. As in the case of the VP, we’ll assume that the Agent starts out inside the NP and then moves to the specifier of the DP, as shown in (12). 5 (12) DP ei
DP ei
D ‘s ei
DP Picasso ei
N painting 4
of musicians D’ NP N’ PP It is also possible that Picasso owned but didn’t paint the painting, in which case the structure is as in (13). (13) ei
DP Picasso DP D’ ei
D NP ‘s ei
N painting 4
of musicians PP By putting Picasso in the Specifier of the DP from the start, we can see that it is the possessor not the Agent. 6 In section 3, we looked at DPs that are deverbal and where DPs and PPs inside it have specific roles to play, very similar to those in the VP of chapter 4. 4 N‐movement In chapter 5, we came across V‐movement. Inside the DP, there is also evidence that the N moves to Num, as is one possibility for English (5b) or to D, as we’ll now see. For instance, Scandinavian languages have definite article clitics to which the N must attach, as in (14) from Swedish. (14) a. bok‐en b, book‐the ei `the book’ D NP ‐en N bok DP There are more complicated cases. For instance, Maori (15a) can have just the D, or a demonstrative, in (15b), or a movement of the article and noun to precede nei. (15) a. te tangata DEF man, `the man.’ b. tenei tangata `this man.' c. te tangata nei DEF man this `this man.' (Prytz Johansen 1948: 5‐6) One tree showing all three possibilities is given in (16). The minimum D is te to which the optional nei can move or not. 7 (16) ei ei
D te ei
N (AP) tangata (nei) DP D’ NP In this short section, I have introduced N‐movement inside the DP. 5 Conclusion In this chapter, some background has been provided on the structure of the DP beyond a mere head. Articles are heads and demonstrative and possessive pronouns are specifiers marking definiteness or the lack thereof. A NumP marks the singular or plural number. Adjectives can be incorporated by adjunction, as in (8), or by occupying special phrases, as in (9). As in the case of VPs, the typical Agent appears more to the left than the Theme. Finally, nouns can also move in some languages. After finishing this chapter, you should be able to draw a DP with a NumP, as in (5), and one with an AP, as in (8) or (9). Keywords Determiner, D head, demonstrative, specifier of DP; hierarchy of adjectives; N‐to‐D; theta‐roles inside the DP Exercises A Find the heads and specifiers of the DPs in the text below (from http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/12/31/461594989/netflix‐and‐chew‐how‐binge‐
watching‐affects‐our‐eating‐habits). 8 Bingeing has become many people's favorite way to consume television. But marathon‐viewing doesn't just change how we watch, it also affects how we eat. While the culture of the Netflix all‐nighter is relatively recent, researchers have been studying the links between TV viewing and mindless eating for years. And the news isn't good for our waistlines. "There's convincing evidence in adults that the more television they watch, the more likely they are to gain weight or become overweight or obese," says Lilian Cheung, director of health promotion and communication at Harvard School of Public Health and author of Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life. B Draw trees for the DPs in (1) to (3). Leave out the NumP for now. (1) My book. (2) Rigobertha’s sister’s dogs. (3) Their explanation of the disaster. C Why might you use a NumP in (1) to (3)? D Figure 8.1 provides a DP that’s difficult to parse but perfectly grammatical. Think about a tree that expresses this recursion. Figure 8.1: The uncle of a ... (http://www.gocomics.com/boondocks/2003/04/22) 9 E Explain the difference between (8) and (9) in your own words and give some reasons why you might prefer one over the other. 10 Answers A many people, the (four times), our, the (twice). B (1) ei
my ei
D NP N Rigoberta tu book D2 NP ‘s sister (3) DP ei Their ei D ei their ei N explanation ei P of ei D NP/N the disaster C The trees in (2) and (3) are relatively complex already. Adding a NumP to (1) results in DP (2) DP1 wo
D’ DP2 D1’ ru
ei DP3 D1 NP ’s N dogs D2’ D’ NP N’ PP DP (4) below where I use the checking method, as in (5b) of the chapter. (4) DP ei My D’ 11 ei D ei
NumP Num NP/N [u‐num] book [i‐S]
D The basic tree is like (2) in question B, and goes somewhat like (5). To finish it, keep working on DP4. (4) DP1 qp DP2 D1’ wo ei DP3 D2’ D1 NP ei
ei ’s N DP4 D3’ D2 NP uncle ... ru ’s N D3 boyfriend ’s ru
NP AP N’ A N best friend E Adjectives can be accommodated by adjunction to any N’, as in (8) of the chapter. This results in free ordering which adjectives sometimes show. Tree (9) puts each adjective in a specially designated position. This explains their frequently strict order. 12