Syntax II
Assignment 16:  Comparatives
Due Friday June 1

Here are some examples of the comparative construction (a comparative clause
is a clause like the one beginning with 'than' in (1)):

(1)  She made more pancakes than the kids could eat.

(2)  More matrices than we could diagonalize in a year were on that
     two-hour exam.

(3)  Harvey bought more books than would fit in his backpack.

(4)  Sue is smarter than she thinks she is.

(5)  Sue bought a bigger backpack than Harvey bought.

Using these examples to start with, investigate this construction.  If there
are any gaps, figure out what kind they are and propose an explicit
analysis.

Please try to steer clear of the various ellipses that can happen in these
constructions.  Ellipsis is always optional, so you can distinguish it from
anything that is obligatory.

A.  Propose a deep structure for these comparatives.  What is 'than'?
What exactly is the structure of (2)?

B.  How do you account for the absence of the (normally obligatory)
complement of 'buy' in (5)? (For example)

C.  In your answer to (B), I assume some kind of movement or deletion is
 implicated; let's call it rule X.

Is rule X bounded?

Is it A-bar-syntax?  Can you show that it follows A-syntax and agreement?

Does it obey island constraints?

Are comparative clauses islands?

Does your analysis account for (6)?

(6) *Sue bought a big backpack than Harvey bought.

Discuss everything thoroughly.