GenHM and Do-Support #
Connects the GenHM formalization to A&P's do-support paradigm
(Data/Examples/ArregiPietraszko2021.json).
Structure #
§1 English GenHM chain configurations for A&P's four do-support contexts §2 The bridge table: each contextual datum paired with its GenHM prediction §3 The parallelism theorem: do-support uniformity across all four contexts §4 Deriving VMovementParam from GenHM
Central Result #
The parallelism of do-support across A&P's three core contexts (negation, SAI, verum focus) plus VPE is a DERIVED consequence of GenHM chain structure, not a stipulation about the V-movement parameter. The four contexts involve two structurally distinct reasons for chain-splitting — intervention by a [+P] specifier (negation, SAI, verum) and post-syntactic [-P] on V* (VPE) — yet all produce the same do-support outcome because spell-out depends only on WHETHER the chain is split.
A&P unify the three intervention contexts under a single specifier-intervention rule (footnote 30). SAI is intervention by the subject in Spec,TP, NOT "probe displacement"; verum focus is intervention by a covert specifier in Spec,ΣP, NOT a "weak Foc head".
Out of scope #
Tag questions (e.g. She likes him, doesn't she?) are not in A&P's paper;
their analysis belongs in a future Sailor 2018 study file. A substantive
TenseSupportContext → GenHMChain bridge that would connect this file's
predictions to Pollock1989.lean's needsDoSupport is deferred to a
cross-framework wiring follow-up. Orphan Assignment (the actual do-insertion
derivation) and the strong V parameter (A&P's cross-linguistic prediction)
are deferred to follow-up substrate work; needsDoSupportGenHM here is a
Boolean proxy.
Generalized Head Movement (relocated from Minimalist/GenHM.lean) #
Formalization of Generalized Head Movement following [AP21].
Central Claim #
Head displacement (subject-auxiliary inversion, T-lowering, do-support) is not syntactic movement but a single Agree-based operation — GenHM — that shares morphological features (M-values) between terminal nodes. The direction of displacement (upward vs downward) is determined postsyntactically at PF, based on which terminal in the chain spells out the shared M-value.
Mechanism #
- GenHM relates two terminals X and Y in a local syntactic configuration, sharing an M-value (tense/phi features) between them → chain ⟨X, Y⟩.
- PF Chain Resolution: The M-value is pronounced on exactly one terminal.
- Default: the M-value lowers to the goal (V) — affix hopping.
- When the chain is split, the M-value is stranded on the probe (T) — looks like "raising".
- Chain-splitting occurs for exactly two reasons (A&P unify intervention
contexts under a single [+P]-specifier rule; cf. footnote 30):
- Split-by-Intervention: a [+P] specifier intervenes between the top of the chain and V*. This subsumes overt negation (Spec,ΣP), verum focus (covert specifier in Spec,ΣP), and SAI (subject in Spec,TP).
- Split-by-Deletion: V* is marked [-P] post-syntactically, e.g. inside an elided VP.
- Do-support: When the M-value is stranded on a probe (T) that has no independent lexical content, a dummy verb do is inserted at PF.
Key Result #
The parallelism of do-support across A&P's three core contexts (negation, SAI, verum focus) plus VPE is DERIVED from GenHM chain structure: all four share the same structural property, namely a split chain stranding the M-value on a contentless T. The specific reason for the split is irrelevant to the do-support prediction.
Out of scope (deferred) #
- Orphan Assignment (the actual do-insertion mechanism: [O] feature
on stranded V_m, defective Vocabulary Insertion).
needsDoSupportGenHMhere is a Boolean proxy for the do-insertion decision, not the derivation. - Strong V parameter (A&P's cross-linguistic prediction for Monnese
and Mainland Scandinavian: strength of V/T/C heads governs whether
chain-splitting feeds defective spell-out). The Boolean
isSplithere corresponds only to the English/strong-V case. - Tag questions (e.g. She likes him, doesn't she?) are NOT in A&P's paper; they have their own literature (Sailor 2018, Bjorkman 2011). A future tag-question study file is the right home for them.
An M-value is a bundle of morphological features (tense, agreement) shared between terminal nodes via GenHM.
We reuse FeatureBundle since M-values are grammatical features.
Instances For
The Generalized Head Movement relation.
GenHM relates two terminal nodes X (probe) and Y (goal) in a local syntactic configuration, sharing an M-value between them. This is an instance of Agree specialized for head displacement.
- probe : Minimalist.SyntacticObject
The higher terminal (e.g., T or C) — the probe
- goal : Minimalist.SyntacticObject
The lower terminal (e.g., V or Aux) — the goal
- mValue : MValue
The shared morphological features
- feature : Minimalist.FeatureVal
The feature type being shared (tense, phi, etc.)
- root : Minimalist.SyntacticObject
The containing tree
- probe_commands_goal : Minimalist.SO.cCommandsIn self.root self.probe self.goal
Structural condition: probe c-commands goal
- goal_has_mvalue : Minimalist.hasValuedFeature self.mValue self.feature = true
The goal bears valued M-features
- probe_needs_mvalue : Minimalist.hasUnvaluedFeature self.mValue self.feature = true
The probe bears unvalued M-features
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GenHM is an instance of Agree: it relates a probe with unvalued features to a goal with valued features under c-command.
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A valid GenHM relation satisfies the conditions for valid Agree.
Identification of the [+P] specifier that triggers Split-by-Intervention.
Per [AP21] footnote 30, A&P unify the three intervention contexts under a single specifier-intervention rule. This field is therefore diagnostic only — A&P's chain-splitting rule itself does not branch on which specifier intervened.
- subjectInSpecTP : InterveningSpecifier
Subject in Spec,TP. The configuration A&P invoke for SAI: GenHM relates V, T, and C across the subject specifier.
- negSpecifier : InterveningSpecifier
Overt negation in Spec,ΣP (sentential negation, e.g. Sue does not eat fish).
- verumCovertSpecifier : InterveningSpecifier
Covert specifier in Spec,ΣP triggering verum focus (e.g. Sue DOES eat fish).
Instances For
Equations
- ArregiPietraszko2021.instDecidableEqInterveningSpecifier x✝ y✝ = if h : x✝.ctorIdx = y✝.ctorIdx then isTrue ⋯ else isFalse ⋯
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The reason a GenHM chain is split, preventing M-value lowering.
[AP21] recognize exactly two chain-splitting mechanisms:
- Split-by-Intervention: a [+P] specifier intervenes between the top of the chain and V*. Subsumes overt negation, verum focus, and SAI under one rule.
- Split-by-Deletion: V* is marked [-P] post-syntactically (e.g. inside an elided VP), blocking Vocabulary Insertion of the lowered M-value.
Both produce the same PF effect: the M-value cannot lower and is stranded on the probe.
- intervention
(specifier : InterveningSpecifier)
: ChainSplitReason
A [+P] specifier intervenes; field identifies which one.
- deletion : ChainSplitReason
V* is post-syntactically marked [-P], e.g. inside an elided VP.
Instances For
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- ArregiPietraszko2021.instDecidableEqChainSplitReason.decEq (ArregiPietraszko2021.ChainSplitReason.intervention specifier) ArregiPietraszko2021.ChainSplitReason.deletion = isFalse ⋯
- ArregiPietraszko2021.instDecidableEqChainSplitReason.decEq ArregiPietraszko2021.ChainSplitReason.deletion (ArregiPietraszko2021.ChainSplitReason.intervention specifier) = isFalse ⋯
- ArregiPietraszko2021.instDecidableEqChainSplitReason.decEq ArregiPietraszko2021.ChainSplitReason.deletion ArregiPietraszko2021.ChainSplitReason.deletion = isTrue ⋯
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A GenHM chain between a probe and a goal, possibly split.
The chain captures the structural configuration relevant for PF
spell-out: whether the M-value can lower from probe to goal, or
is stranded on the probe. The splitReason field tracks both
whether the chain is split and why.
- probeCat : Minimalist.Cat
Category of the probe (T or C)
- goalCat : Minimalist.Cat
Category of the goal (V)
- splitReason : Option ChainSplitReason
Why the chain is split, if at all.
none= clear chain.
Instances For
Is the chain split? A split chain strands the M-value on the probe.
Equations
- chain.isSplit = chain.splitReason.isSome
Instances For
Where the M-value is pronounced at PF.
.onGoal: M-value lowers to the goal (= affix hopping / T-lowering).onProbe: M-value stays on the probe (= "raising" / stranding)
- onGoal : SpellOutTarget
- onProbe : SpellOutTarget
Instances For
Equations
- ArregiPietraszko2021.instDecidableEqSpellOutTarget x✝ y✝ = if h : x✝.ctorIdx = y✝.ctorIdx then isTrue ⋯ else isFalse ⋯
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Determine where the M-value is spelled out.
The M-value surfaces on the goal (lower terminal) unless the chain is split, in which case it is stranded on the probe (higher terminal). The reason for the split is irrelevant — only whether it is split.
Equations
- ArregiPietraszko2021.spellOutTarget chain = if chain.isSplit = true then ArregiPietraszko2021.SpellOutTarget.onProbe else ArregiPietraszko2021.SpellOutTarget.onGoal
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The do-support condition.
Do-support is triggered when:
- The M-value is stranded on the probe (chain is split), AND
- The probe has no independent lexical content (is a contentless T head)
This is a PF repair strategy: the grammar inserts do to host tense features that cannot lower to V and have no other host.
NOTE: this is a Boolean proxy. A&P's actual derivation routes through Orphan Assignment ([O] feature on the stranded V_m, then defective Vocabulary Insertion as do). Modeling that machinery is deferred.
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Do-support is a last resort: it is only used when the M-value cannot reach the goal AND the probe cannot host it independently.
Theorem 1: Lowering when chain is clear.
When the chain is not split, the M-value surfaces on the goal (= T-lowering / affix hopping).
Theorem 2: Raising when chain is split.
When the chain is split (by intervention or deletion), the M-value surfaces on the probe (= "raising" / stranding).
Theorem 3: Do-support iff split and contentless.
Do-support is triggered iff (a) the chain is split AND (b) the probe has no lexical content.
Theorem 4: Do-support is uniform across contexts.
For ANY GenHM chain with the same split status and probe content, do-support is triggered or not uniformly. The specific reason for the split (intervention or deletion) is irrelevant. This is the parallelism theorem.
Theorem 5: Auxiliaries don't need do-support.
When the probe IS the auxiliary (T = Aux with lexical content), do-support is never needed, regardless of chain structure.
Corollary: Lexical verbs need do-support when chain is split.
Extended head displacement classification.
Adds GenHM as a third option alongside syntactic movement (= MCB
Internal Merge, encoded as Step.im in Derivation.lean) and
postsyntactic amalgamation. The syntactic constructor is now a
pure tag — the analyst supplies the actual Step.im evidence via
a separate Derivation when the diagnostic predicates are needed.
Refactored at 0.230.788 when the legacy Movement record was
deleted in favor of MCB-aligned Step.im / Derivation.movedItems.
- syntactic : HeadDisplacementExt
- amalgam : Minimalist.Amalgamation → HeadDisplacementExt
- genHM : GenHMRelation → HeadDisplacementExt
Instances For
GenHM subsumes both "raising" and "lowering" as surface realizations of a single operation.
GenHM chain structure determines the surface pattern captured by
VMovementParam.
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When the chain is clear, the surface pattern is V-raising.
When the chain is split, the surface pattern is V-in-situ.
A&P's four do-support contexts as GenHM chains. The four chains involve two distinct split mechanisms:
- Split-by-Intervention (a [+P] specifier intervenes between top of chain and V*): negation, SAI, verum focus.
- Split-by-Deletion (V* marked [-P] post-syntactically): VPE.
Negation chain: T ... [Spec,ΣP: not] ... V
"Sue does not eat fish" — overt not in Spec,ΣP intervenes. Split-by-Intervention.
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Verum focus chain: T ... [Spec,ΣP: covert verum specifier] ... V
"Sue DOES eat fish" — covert specifier in Spec,ΣP intervenes (cf. A&P fn. 30 — same intervention mechanism as negation). Split-by-Intervention.
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Question chain (SAI): C ← T ... [Spec,TP: subject] ... V
"Where does Sue eat fish?" — the subject in Spec,TP intervenes between T (chained to C) and V*. Crucially this is intervention, NOT "probe displacement" — see A&P, where GenHM is taken to relate V, T, and C across the subject specifier. Split-by-Intervention.
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VP ellipsis chain: T ... V (with V* marked [-P] post-syntactically)
"She runs faster than he does" — V is present and chained to T; VPE marks V* with [-P], blocking lowered Vocabulary Insertion. Split-by-Deletion (NOT goal-absence — A&P's analysis crucially has GenHM still applying).
Equations
- ArregiPietraszko2021.vpEllipsisChain = { probeCat := Minimalist.Cat.T, goalCat := Minimalist.Cat.V, splitReason := some ArregiPietraszko2021.ChainSplitReason.deletion }
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A declarative chain with no split: T ... V
"Sue eats fish" — clear chain, M-value lowers to V (affix hopping).
Equations
- ArregiPietraszko2021.declarativeChain = { probeCat := Minimalist.Cat.T, goalCat := Minimalist.Cat.V, splitReason := none }
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Behavioral fact about declaratives: M-value lowers (affix hopping).
Behavioral fact about declaratives with lexical V: no do-support.
Does the sentence use do-support? (do_support feature).
Equations
- ArregiPietraszko2021.usesDoSupport row = Option.map (fun (x : String) => x == "true") (row.feature? "do_support")
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Does the probe carry lexical content? (auxiliary = true, lexical
V = false; verb_type feature).
Equations
- ArregiPietraszko2021.probeHasContent row = Option.map (fun (x : String) => x == "auxiliary") (row.feature? "verb_type")
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A&P's do-support paradigm as a bridge table: each generated row paired with the GenHM chain configuration assigned in §1.
Coverage: A&P's three core contexts (negation, SAI, verum focus) each tested with lexical V, auxiliary, and the starred do-support misuse; VPE tested with lexical V only (the auxiliary case is not a do-support trigger and not in A&P's discussion of VPE).
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Transfer equation: a row in the bridge table is acceptable iff
its use (or omission) of do-support matches the GenHM prediction for
its chain and probe content. The starred rows (ex31, ex33,
ex35, ex41) are exactly those whose do-support usage contradicts
the prediction — A&P's parallelism claim is precisely that this
holds uniformly across all four contexts.
Parallelism for lexical verbs: any split chain triggers do-support
when the probe is contentless. Concrete consequence of the substrate
theorem lexical_verb_needs_doSupport_when_split.
Parallelism for auxiliaries: no chain triggers do-support when the
probe carries lexical content. Concrete consequence of
auxiliaries_dont_need_doSupport.
Context-irrelevance: any two chains with the same split status give the same do-support decision. The reason for the split (intervention vs deletion) is irrelevant.
A clear chain (no split) yields the .raises surface pattern.
A split chain yields the .inSitu surface pattern.
TODO: a substantive chainOf : TenseSupportContext → GenHMChain map
would let us state needsDoSupport p ctx = needsDoSupportGenHM (chainOf ctx) (contentOf p) — converting Pollock1989's flat parameter into a derived
view of GenHM's chain structure. Deferred to a cross-framework wiring
follow-up that also touches Pollock1989.lean.