Polish functional projections

Michael Moss (University of Gdańsk)

In this paper, I would like to investigate the Polish system of tense and other functional projections according to the model presented in Roberts (2005). Roberts proposes that the VSO order in Welsh arises due to Pers(on), Num(ber), Force and Fin(ite) functional projections in the clause structure. He combines this with some observations about the EPP feature. I would like to investigate how this system can answer questions about Polish tense and number morphology (-śmy, -ście etc) and their apparent scrambling abilities. Roberts' work is in part based on Poletto (2000) and as a result this material will also have to be investigated and brought into the analysis of the Polish situation. Although the paper will be based on models proposed in other works, I feel that it willl bring the structure in Polish into sharper focus, supporting the underlying theory of UG.

References

Roberts, Ian G. 2005. Principles and Parameters in a VSO Language; A

Case Study in Welsh. Oxford: OUP.

Poletto, Cecilia. 2000. The Higher Functional Field; Evidence from

Northern Italian Dialects. Oxford: OUP.= 72