External arguments and gerunds

摘要: Certain English nominalizations present evidence that the absence of accusative case assignment does not necessarily correlate with an external argument (one half Burzio's generalization). Nominal gerunds (NGs), or ing-of constructions, contain position even though is observed on object. The hypothesis posits a defective light v, which introduces arguments but value case. We then make following testable predications about structure this type: (i) Spec,D hosts both moved and merged arguments, although it remains theta-assigning (cf. Alexiadou 2001); (ii) are limited to nominalizing head selecting fully saturated predicates (vP, vPdefective, TP) forming nominal in lexicon. behaviour NGs contrast unaccusatives passives variability semantic interpretation bear out predictions.