תקציר:

The existence of multiple subject constructions is attested uncontroversially in Japanese & more controversially in Modern Hebrew & Modern Standard Arabic. In all three languages, it is shown that the initial noun phrase (NP) of a multiple subject construction, termed a broad subject, is not dislocated or in a designated focus position but has subject properties that include combination with a sentential predicate that (1) denotes a complex property, (2) assigns a nonthematic argument, & (3) contains a subject termed the narrow subject. Under the minimalist hypothesis that allows multiple tense specifiers & multiple checking of nominative case, broad subjects are merged at the tense specifier & therefore take obligatory broad scope, fail to induce verbal agreement, & have a generic interpretation; narrow subjects are merged at the VP specifier & raise to a tense specifier to check features. 34 References. J. Hitchcock