The scope of obviation

Anna Szabolcsi, NYU

Abstract

According to the classical description of obviation, the subject of a subjunctive clause is disjoint in reference from the attitude-holder subject of the immediately higher clause.

1. *Je veux que je parte.
I want that I leave.SUBJ
'I want for me to leave.' (Ruwet 1984/1991)

One well-known account attributes obviation to Condition B of the binding theory; another to competition from infinitives. I will explore a semantic/pragmatic approach, based on Kaufmann 2019 and on my own work on Hungarian, in partial return to Ruwet's intuition. The data set will go beyond what is usually considered, but it will be restricted to Hungarian, a language whose subjunctives have a different distribution than French, Spanish, or Italian.
This talk represents work in progress; more data and more theory will come in my half of the Spring 2021 seminar to be co-taught with R. Kayne. For those who are interested, I attach a copy of John Goldsmith's 1991 translation of Ruwet 1984.