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The acquisition of subjecthood

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2026

Peter Cole,
Wayne Harbert,
Gabriella Hermon and
S. N. Sridhar
Peter Cole
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
Wayne Harbert
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
Gabriella Hermon
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
S. N. Sridhar
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
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Abstract

This paper examines the process by which subject properties are acquired by noun phrases not previously having those properties. The evidence presented indicates that behavioral subject properties (like the ability of an NP to delete under EQUI) are acquired historically prior to subject coding properties (like nominative case-marking and control of verb agreement).

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Language , Volume 56 , Issue 4 , December 1980, pp. 719 - 743
Copyright
Copyright © 1980 by Linguistic Society of America

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