Syntax: Understanding C-Command and Government

Introduction

• Presented by Andrew Carney, Professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona.
• Focus on tree structures in syntax, particularly relationships between nodes.
• Precedence (left-right) and Dominance (up-down) relationships in trees previously defined.
• Introduction of structural prominence without reliance on dominance.

C-Command

• Definition: Relationship where a node is higher in prominence without direct dominance.
  • Occurs between a node, its sister, and all daughters and granddaughters of its sister.
• Example: In a tree, node A c-commands its sister C and all of C’s daughters (D, E, F, G, H).
• Non-mutual C-command: If A c-commands D, D does not necessarily c-command A.

Formal Definition

• A c-commands node B if:

  1. Every node that dominates A also dominates B.
  2. A does not dominate B.

• Key Concept: Sisterhood and Aunt-hood.

  • Cannot c-command anything you dominate directly.

Types of C-Command

• Symmetric C-Command: Mutual c-command between nodes.
  • Example: A and B symmetrically c-command each other.
• Asymmetric C-Command: Non-mutual c-command.
  • Example: A asymmetrically c-commands D, E, F, G, H.

Government

• Definition: Local c-command, traditionally termed as government.
  • Based on no intervening nodes between c-commanding nodes.
• Relationship: A node governs another if it c-commands it without an intervener.
  • Example: Immediate precedence/dominance analogy.

Examples and Nuances

• Interveners:
  • If A, G, and B are heads, A governs G and G governs B, but A doesn't govern B due to G’s intervention.
  • Categories of nodes (e.g., head vs. phrase) alter governing relationships.

Historical Context

• Usage: Once popular in the late 1980s and early 90s as a mechanism for licensing relationships.
• Current Relevance: Rarely used in modern syntax but essential for understanding older literature.

Remember, these concepts are crucial for understanding how elements in a sentence are related beyond direct dominance and precedence, and help in analyzing sentence structure in syntax.