The Generalized Projection Principle and Its Implications for Passive Constructions

In the 'principle! and parameters' framework. Universal Grammar it considered to consist of various subsystems, each containing certain principles with some parametric variation (Chomsky 1981, 1986). One of the fundamental principles is the projection principle. In this paper, I will suggest a generalized version of the projection principle, i.e. the generalized projection principle (GPP). The generalized projection principle (GPP; incorporates argument 9-requiremenU and adjunct 8requirements in a unified way. By appleafing to the generalized projection principle (GPP), I will argue for Kuroda's (1979) proposal that the subject position of the ni passive is a 8-position, while that of the ni yotle passive is a non-0 position. I will further support Kuroda (1979), by demonstrating that the Kuroda (1979) type 6/9' dichotomy exists not only in Japanese passives, out also in English passives. Then, I will show how Saito's (1982) argument for an NP movement analysis of the III direct passive is a potential problem for Kuroda's (196S, 1979) analysis. Finally, I will sketch a new analysis of the ni direct passive, which reconciles Saito •s (1982) and Kuroda's (196S, 1979) proposals. Tne proposed analysiscrucially relies on Fukui's (1986) and Fukui and Speas's (1986) proposal that the VP SPEC position is ungoverned. (Areas of interest: Syntax)