Pseudo-ABA patterns and the generative power of Nanosyntax
Daniar Kasenov
September 2023
 

This paper discusses the limits of generative power of the Nanosyntactic theory with three-cell ABA patterns as the core focus. It is argued that the representations available in Nanosyntax (namely, movement-containing tress and pointers) allow the derivation of an ABA pattern where all three cells are portmanteaux. It is then shown that such patterns are attested using novel data on interaction between Russian analytic comparatives/superlatives and Russian suppletive adjectives. The contents of this paper, therefore, add to the growing body of evidence that portmanteux give rise to (pseudo-)ABA patterns, as suggested by Middleton 2021 and Davis 2021. They also suggest that the rarity of some ABA patterns should be given a ‘third-factor’ account, as suggested by Andersson 2018, should the variety of ABA phenomena lie within the reach of the generative power of our morphosyntactic theories.
Format: [ pdf ]
Reference: lingbuzz/007590
(please use that when you cite this article)
Published in: written for a volume on Nanosyntax
keywords: nanosyntax, aba, pointers, russian, suppletion, morphology, syntax
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