Syntax A
Problem 3
Due Friday October 20

Examples like (1)-(4) are called "passive" sentences in traditional grammar.

(1)   Some sand was thrown into the tub by the kids.
(2)   Harvey was given a severe beating.
(3)   The stupidity of the proposal was not immediately recognized.
(4)   That problem may have been solved by the engineers.
(5)   My fence was being painted red.

We should first set aside a superficially similar construction, which arises
because there is a derivational process in English that derives Adjectives
from Verbs in the past participle [-EN] form:

(6)   That car is stolen.		[It's a stolen car.]
(7)   The fence used to be painted red.
(8)   Harvey looks exhausted.
(9)   Our students end up well trained.

When such an adjective is the complement of the copula, as in (6), the result
looks something like a passive, and such constructions are sometimes called
Adjectival Passives.  That is a mistake, because there is nothing passive
about them.  They should rather be called fake passives.

There are several diagnostics that reliably distinguish genuine passives from
fake ones:

(a)  Only real passives can have by-phrases corresponding to the missing
     argument.  Hence (4) is a real passive.
(b)  Since the derived -EN adjective is generally stative, the fake passive is
     incompatible with the progressive.  So (5) is a real passive.
(c)  Adjectives cannot take DP complements.  So (2) is a real passive.

Absent the clues, many sentences are ambiguous between the real passive and the
fake passive.  In this problem set we are only interested in real passives.


PART 1

Start with the hypothesis that passive sentences are base-generated (i.e. they
do not involve any movement operations other than the familiar subject escape
and V-T-C head movement).  We will call this the Base Generation Hypothesis.

According to the BGH, what is the structure and derivation of (1)?
Do we have to say anything new about Verb Form Rules?
Is the 'be' that occurs in these examples an AUX?


PART 2

The following examples and examples like them might spell trouble for the
BGH.  If they do, say exactly why.

(10)	a.   The kids threw some sand into the tub.
   	b.  *The kids threw into the tub.
   	c.   Some sand was thrown into the tub (by the kids).
   	d.  *Some sand was thrown the gravel into the tub (by the kids).

(11)	a.   Somebody gave Harvey a severe beating.
  	b.  *Somebody gave a severe beating.
   	c.   Harvey was given a severe beating.
   	d.  *Harvey was given Max a severe beating.

(12)	a.   We all recognized the stupidity of the proposal.
   	b.  *We all recognized.
  	c.   The stupidity of the proposal was recognized by us all.
   	d.  *The stupidity of the proposal was recognized the urgency of action
	     by us all.


PART 3

If in Part 2 you thought there was no problem for the BGH, you can go to the
beach.  If you thought there was a problem, you get to do this part.

Thinking carefully about Theta-assignment, construct an alternative hypothesis
of some sort that evades the difficulties that the facts of Part 2 posed for
the BGH.  Make all parts of your analysis explicit.

If you propose any kind of movement, be sure to discuss how it does or does
not conform to our theory of movement.  If the movement is obligatory, be as
explicit as you can about what makes it so.


PART 4

Discuss the examples below in connection with the BGH and your new analysis.

(13)	a.   We fainted.
   	b.  *We fainted the children.
  	c.  *We/the children were fainted.

(14)	a.   The rat died.
  	b.  *The rat died the hamster.
  	c.  *The hamster was died.

If these facts provide an additional argument against the BGH, tell why.  Tell
exactly how they are accounted for under your analysis.


PART 5

Attempt this only after you are pretty sure you have an analysis of passives
that works.  Then show and discuss the derivation of the following:

(15)  It is believed that cockroaches are intelligent.
(16)  Harvey seems to have been given a severe beating.
(17)  It seems to be likely to be proven that there are insects on Mars.

If you notice anything interesting about the order in which operations apply,
discuss it.


PART 6

What is your story about by-phrases?