Copy Control in Telugu

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1.

Introduction

Control is a relation of coreferentiality between two arguments in a given structure. Until recently, the assumption in the literature has been that this relation is between an overt controller in a higher (matrix) clause and a silent controllee in a lower (subordinate) clause, as (1)-(2) illustrate. The controllee is symbolized by [Delta].

(1)

[_matrix Tom_i hopes [_{subordinate complement} [Delta]_i to win]]

(2)

[[_matrix Tom_i won] [_{subordinate adjunct} without [Delta]_i knowing it]]

These patterns are not the only ones attested, however. Other languages demonstrate that the higher argument is not always the one - or the only one - that is pronounced. Recent research has shown that there are three types of control (Polinsky & Potsdam 2006: 171-173):

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Forward Control: The argument in the matrix clause is pronounced, determining the identity of an unpronounced argument in the subordinate clause.

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Backward Control: The argument in the matrix clause is unpronounced; its identity is determined by an overt argument in the subordinate clause.

*

Copy Control: The matrix and subordinate arguments are coreferential and are both pronounced.

Forward Control is the most researched; its history goes back to the 1960s (Chomsky 1965, Rosenbaum 1967). Backward Control is a less studied phenomenon. It has been investigated in a number of languages, including Japanese (Kuroda 1965, 1978), Tsez (Polinsky & Potsdam 2002), Malagasy (Polinsky & Potsdam 2003), and Korean (Monahan 2003). Copy Control is the least studied phenomenon. It has been explored in Tongan (Chung 1978) and San Lucas Quiaviní Zapotec (Lee 2003, Boeckx et al. 2007) (see Polinsky & Potsdam 2006 for a survey).

Telugu, a Dravidian language of the Indian subcontinent, has non-finite adjuncts known as adverbial or conjunctive participle (CNP) clauses. The language allows adjunct control into CNP clauses. It licenses all three types of control, as (3a-c) illustrate.²

(3)

(a)

Forward Control

[Kumaar_i [[Delta]_i aakali wees-i] saandwic tinnaa-Du] Kumar.nom hunger.nom fall-cnp sandwich ate-3.m.s 'Having got hungry, Kumar ate a sandwich.'

(b)

Backward Control

[[Delta]_i [Kumaar-ki_i aakali wees-i] saandwic tinnaa-Du] Kumar-dat hunger.nom fall-cnp sandwich ate-3.m.s 'Having got hungry, Kumar ate a sandwich.'

(c)

Copy Control

[[Kumaar-ki_i aakali wees-i] atanu