Subject Doubling in Finnish: The Role of Deficient Pronouns
Holmberg, Anders, Nikanne, Urpo; id_orcid 0000-0002-3267-6705 · Syntax and semantics · 2008
In colloquial Finnish finite clauses, the subject can be doubled by a pronoun. This pronoun has number but not person, and therefore can double a first or second person pronoun as long as number matches. The doubling pronoun is in SpecF(inite)P, the 'EPP-position', while the doubled subject remains within the TP, when it is not moved to SpecCP. Finnish also has subject trebling, with a second doubling pronoun occupying SpecCP. Doubling of a pronominal subject is shown to follow from the partial copying theory of Barbiers et al. (2007), in conjunction with a particular analysis of the internal structure of pronouns. Cross-dialectal and cross-linguistic variation as regards doubling is ascribed, at least in part, to a lexical difference: whether or not the lexicon includes deficient pronouns.