Thai Wh-expressions at theLeft Edge of the Clause: Contrastive and Identificational Wh-clefts

Abstract

This paper is concerned with reduced contrastive wh-clefts and reduced identificational wh-clefts. I argue that cases of apparent wh-movement of bare wh-expressions are instances of reduced contrastive wh-clefts and reduced identificational wh-clefts. This paper first deals with the semantics and syntax of reduced contrastive wh-clefts which have the same properties as contrastive wh-clefts. The three major consequences of analyzing apparent cases of wh-movement are considered. First, only wh-subjects can occur as a cleftee. Second, wh-objects can occur as a cleftee only when passive markers are present. Last, only who can occur as a cleftee. These restrictions result naturally from the analysis. The remainder of the paper is devoted to reduced identificational wh-clefts. In particular, they involve clefting of D-linked wh-expressions. I argue that the semantics and syntax of reduced identificational wh-clefts share the same properties as identificational wh-clefts. Two predictions that result from the analysis are discussed.