The crossing constraint and ‘backwards languages’

摘要

In this paper I argue that the Crossing Constraint, which forbids the crossing of association lines, is actually composed of several different parameter settings, and that processes of reversal are to be analyzed as the result of introducing crossed association lines into the representation. Within ordinary languages, the ‘no crossing’ setting is in effect (and therefore reversal is rarely found in this domain), whereas in certain language games, the marked ‘crossing’ setting may be utilized. I will show that by allowing association lines to cross in ways which are tightly restricted by a hierarchy of parameters, we can explain the full typology of reversal processes found in languag