平田 一郎

The standard generalization concerning the traditional EPP (Extended projection principle) is that Spec, TP must always be filled by some element, even when no apparent semantic or Case-related reason is detected. Recent research reveals that EPP effects are observed in a language, like Japanese, that lacks expletive subjects (Kishimoto 2001, Miyagawa 2001, Miyagawa & Arikawa 2007). Hirata (2006b) further demonstrates that the alleged EPP effects in the language do not disappear in tenseless conjuncts in predicate coordination structures, from which it is claimed that the EPP in Japanese works in a projection under TP. The present article yields additional support for this claim by examining an example of Case alternation in Japanese. Evidence is provided that the tenseless coordination construction at issue cannot be analyzed as a case of TP coordination and thus that EPP effects can definitely be detected under TP.

This article investigates properties of predicate coordination by means of sosite 'and' in Japanese. It points out that conjuncts of a sosite predicate coordination structure can contain nominative subjects but not tense morphemes. After establishing that the sosite predicate coordination construction is in fact a case of coordination (rather than subordination), several possible structural analyses of it are examined. It is shown that the analysis in which projections of vP are conjoined to be a complement of T is both empirically and theoretically most credible. The important implication of this conclusion is that subjects and verbs are (at least optionally) allowed to stay within projections of vP in overt syntax in Japanese. Morphological consideration is also given to interchangeability of conjuncts.