Copular sentences and Binding Theory : the case of French and Principle C

• Main Author: Valérie Amary
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cercle linguistique du Centre et de l'Ouest - CerLICO 2019-06-01
• Series: Corela
• Subjects: Binding ; French ; copula ; specification ; identification ; identity ; predication ; demonstrative pronoun.
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/corela/8146

Although, in the literature, Principle C of Binding Theory is taken not to apply to copular sentences on the basis of English data alone, this study aims to show that this Principle applies to French copular sentences. French displays a dichotomy between predicational copular sentences and other subtypes of copular sentences (specificational, identity and identificational) : while the former use the verb est (‘is’) alone, the latter need an additional form, namely the neuter demonstrative pronoun ce. Evidence is given that, in French, the two terms flanking the copula est cannot be referential because the post-copula term would be bound by the pre-copula one, in accordance with Principle C of Binding Theory. Thus, adding the pronoun ce modifies the (deep) structure of the sentence and gives rise to a Topic c’est Focus (surface) structure, which escapes Principle C.