Ling 141 Ellipsis
Assignment 2: More Verb Phrase Ellipsis

This assignment is going to treat three issues in the relation between
an elided "VP" and its antecedent.

1.  Consider sentences like the following:

(1)  I memorized every poem that Harvey did, so why didn't I get the prize?

(2)  How do you understand another person?  You have to read the books they do,
     think the thoughts they do, have the feelings they do, and just generally
     behave in the ways they do.

(3)  I can solve any problem Harvey can.

(4)  I was bitten by a different spider than you were.

What is the structure of these sentences?  For those that exhibit VPE, where is the
antecedent?  In each case, what is the antecedent VP?

2.  Consider sentences like the following:

(1)  A proof that God exists exists.

(2) *A proof that God exists does.

(3) *A proof does that God exists.

Consider these sentences and others like them.  Would you (based on what you know so far)
expect VPE in examples like (2) and (3)?  If so, explain why, and if not, explain why not.

If you would expect VPE in examples like (2-3), try to come up with a principle to rule
it out in such structures.  This should take some thought.

Then consider

(4)  The man who thought he would win did.

(5) *The man who thought Harvey would win did.

Make up more examples like this.  Do these examples affect the proposal you made above?

3.  Consider the ambiguity of

(1)  I washed my ears, and Harvey did too.

(2)  Sue asked her brother for a loan, and Harvey did too.

(3)  Sue reveres her mother, and Harvey does too.

In each case, what does Harvey do?  What does this show us about the identity condition
on VPE?