Deriving complex verbs using Merge

This thesis aims to develop a means of deriving inflected verbs that does not rely on the head movement (HM) operation. Guided by the Strong Minimalist Thesis, I argue that HM is problematic for empirical and theoretical reasons. Accordingly, I put forward an alternative means of deriving complex verbs which uses only theoretical gadgets needed for external reasons, e.g. Merge, a workspace, copying, Agree and labelling. Combining these five elements allows complex verbs to be derived outside of the clausal spine in the same way as internal and external arguments. The verb is built in the workspace using external Merge and then each element of the verb is copied. Copying is facilitated by assuming that Merge is untriggered; that the workspace can contain multiple structures, and finally that constituents can be Merged from one structure into another, an operation referred to as parallel Merge in the literature (e.g. Citko 2005). Once the complex verb is built, each element of the verb is copied using parallel Merge which allows the clausal spine to be generated. With this system there is no correlation between a verb’s position and its level of inflection since it is built before being attached to the clausal spine. Once the new system has been developed, it is applied to a set of so called multiple copy Spell-Out constructions and found to have benefits that HM is lacking. The data includes predicate cleft constructions, verbal repetition constructions and finally, heavily inflected verbs from Kiowa. The parallel Merge alternative is particularly beneficial for data where two copies of an element are pronounced but with different forms, e.g. a tensed verb and an infinitive verb, because each copy is independently generated in the workspace.