Gapping and p-stranding

Jayaseelan (1990) and Lasnik and Saito (1991) observe that English Gapping exhibits properties typical of rightward movement. In this paper, we address the question of why this is the case. We propose that in Gapping, a contrasted element in the full-fledged conjunct can move leftward or rightward to create a structure for copying and that illegitimate derivations are excluded by independently motivated constraints. As one such constraint, we adopt Saito's (1985) condition on adjunction sites, which requires that an element adjoin to the side of the category which is opposite to the head. Since Saito's constraint relies on the head parameter, this analysis makes the obvious prediction that Gapping constructions in head-final languages should involve leftward movement. We show that this is indeed the case with Japanese. The most important theoretical consequences are: (i) that the directionality of adjunction is constrained in LF in the same way as in overt syntax and (ii) that constraints such as the Right Roof Constraint and the Subjacency Condition apply both in overt syntax and in LF. The other important consequence is that P-stranding is universally allowed at LF for leftward movement but not for rightward movement. © 1997 Kluwer Academic Publishers.