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Null objects and non-thematic subjects[*]

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Diane Massam
Diane Massam
Affiliation:
Department of Linguistics, University of TorontoToronto, Ontario,M5S 1A1, Canada
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Extract

This article analyses middle constructions in English, accounting for their key syntactic and semantic properties. The analysis rests on the observation that there are certain similarities between middle, tough and recipe-context null-object constructions, such as in (1a–c).(1) (a) This bread cuts—easily.(b) This bread is easy to cut—.(c) Take bread. Cut—carefully (and arrange—nicely).

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Articles
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Journal of Linguistics , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , March 1992, pp. 115 - 137
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Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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