Binding Theory Quiz Answers

Jean Mark Gawron

Linguistics 522
San Diego State University
gawron@mail.sdsu.edu
http://www.rohan.sdsu.edu/∼gawron

Binding Theory Quiz Answers – p. 1/10

 Antecedent

Assume the following definition of antecedent:

The antecedent of a pronoun or an anaphor

is an R-expression coindexed with it.

For example, John is the antecedent of he and himself

in:

(i) Johni thinks hei is a genius.

(ii) Johni likes himselfi a lot.

Binding Theory Quiz Answers – p. 2/10

 Assume relative clauses are adjuncts
of nouns

NP

Det N

the N S

N NP VP

book N V

N V
S: a relative clause
John wrote

Binding Theory Quiz Answers – p. 3/10

 General directions

Answer true or false for each of the following.

Grammaticality judgments for examples have been
omitted because they are not relevant to answering
any of the questions (and to make it clear that the
answers do not DEPEND on the grammaticality
judgments).

Binding Theory Quiz Answers – p. 4/10

 Pronoun antecedents

1. The antecedent of a pronoun must bind it.False

S

NP VP

NPi N V

N N V NP

N mother likes N
A non-binding antecedent.
John’s himi John’s does not C-command
him.

Binding Theory Quiz Answers – p. 5/10

 Anaphor antecedents

2. The antecedent of an anaphor must bind it. True

S

NP VP

NPi N V

N N V NP

N mother likes N
Impossibility of a non-binding
John’s himselfi antecedent

Binding Theory Quiz Answers – p. 6/10

 Principle C

NPi VP

3. The binding theory rules out the N V

following sentence. True
N V S

John thinks NPi VP

Johni thinks Johni is a genius.
4. The example in (3) is a Princi- John V
ple C violation. True John C-
V NPi
commands and is coindexed with
second John. is Det N

a N

genius

Binding Theory Quiz Answers – p. 7/10

 More True/False!

5. The binding theory rules out the following

sentence True

Hei thinks Johni is a genius.

6. The example in (5) is a Principle C violation.True

Binding Theory Quiz Answers – p. 8/10

 Principle C Revisited

NP

Det N

7. The binding theory rules out every N S

the following sentence False.
N NP VP
him cannot C-command anything
outside its clause! one N V

N V NP
Everyone who meets himi ad-
mires Johni . who meets N

him

Binding Theory Quiz Answers – p. 9/10

 Binding theory decisions

8. Determine which of the following sentences the binding theory rules out and if a
sentence is ruled out, state which principle(s) is/are involved.

(a) Everyone who meets Johni admires himi . In

(b) Every farmer who owns a donkeyi beats iti . In
(c) Every farmer who owns iti beats a donkeyi . In
(d) Himselfi likes Johni . Out Prin C
Prin A
(e) Himselfj likes Johni . Out Prin A
(f) Hei likes Johni . Out Prin C
(g) Johni likes herj picture of himi . Out Prin B

Binding Theory Quiz Answers – p. 10/10