1

Syntax(part8)

A-Movement

NealSnape

Idioms

• AninterestingpieceofevidenceinsupportoftheVP-InternalSubjectHypothesiscomesfromthesyntaxofidioms.

(5)(a) Let’shaveacoupleofdrinkstobreaktheice

(introduceyourself)

(b) Becarefulnottoupsettheapplecart(tocausetrouble)

(c)Thepresidentmustbitethebullet(toforceyourselftodosomething

unpleasantordifficult)

• In(5)theformverb+complementistheidiom,butthesubjectisn’tpartoftheidiom.

• Itiseasytochangethesubjectsoftheidiomsin(5),asin(6):

(6)(a) Let’splayagametobreaktheice(b) IhopeIdon’tupsettheapplecart(c) Ihategoingtothedentist,butI'lljusthavetobite

thebullet

(6a)Let’splayagametobreaktheice

Thisistheidiom

(6b) IhopeIdon’tupsettheapplecart

Thisistheidiom

(6c) Ihategoingtothedentist,butI'lljusthavetobitethebullet

Thisistheidiom

2

• In(5)and(6)theformverb+complementistheidiom,butthesubjectisn’tpartoftheidiom.

• Compareidiomsin(5)with(7):

(7)(a) Allhellbrokeloose(asituationsuddenlybecomesviolentand

noisy)

(b) Theshithitthefan(whenthingsgetuncontrollable)(c) Thecatgothistongue(whenyouareannoyedwithsomeoneand

thepersonisquiet)

• In(7),notonlyisthechoiceofverbandcomplementfixed,butsotooisthechoiceofsubject.

• However,whatispuzzlingaboutidiomslike(7)isthatoneormoreauxiliariescanfreelybepositionedbetweenthesubjectandverb

(8)(a) Allhellwillbreakloose(b) Allhellhasbrokenloose(c) Allhellcouldbreakloose

(9)(a) Theshitmighthitthefan(b) Theshithashitthefan(c) Theshitmusthavehitthefan

(8a)Allhellwillbreakloose

Thisistheidiom

[EPP]

Willallhell breakloose?

Thisistheidiom

[EPP]

(8b)Allhellhasbrokenloose

Thisistheidiom

[EPP]

(8c)Allhellcould breakloose

Thisistheidiom

[EPP]

3

(9a)Theshitmighthitthefan

Thisistheidiom

[EPP]

(9b)Theshithashitthefan

Thisistheidiom

[EPP]

(9c)Theshitmusthavehitthefan

ThisistheidiomExercises

(1) Thecatisoutofthebag=(Thesecrethasbeendiscovered)(2) Thecatmustbeoutofthebag(3) Thecatwillbe outofthebag(4) Thechickenscamehometoroost=(thebadresultsof

somethingsomeonehasdonearestartingtohappen)(5) Thechickenshave comehometoroost(6) Thechickensdidnotcomehometoroost

Exercises

Drawtreesforthefollowingidioms.DecidewhetherthesubjectisinternaltotheVPorexternaltotheVP.

1. Hehitthenailonthehead(doorsaysomethingexactlyright)/Hemusthavehitthenailonthehead.

2. Ittakestwototango(actionsorcommunicationsneedmorethanoneperson)/Itmusttaketwototango.

3. Helosthishead(angryandovercomebyemotions)/Hemayhavelosthishead.

4. Hehitthebooks(tostudy,especiallyforatestorexam)/Heshouldhitthebooks.