LINGUISTIC CONTROL OF PRONOUNS

Abstract

We argue against the claim put forward by Lasnik (1976) that pronouns are, in all cases, pragmatically controlled, i.e. that they directly refer to objects or situations in the world. In fact, the generalization we defend is exactly the opposite: all pronouns are linguistically controlled, i.e. they have a linguistic antecedent in all cases. Even in those instances where no antecedent is present in uttered discourse, the necessity of postulating such an antecedent, and the possibility of identifying it, can be demonstrated. An antecedent which is not present in uttered discourse is subject to particular recoverability conditions, both pragmatic (it must be controlled by a salient object) and linguistic (the pronoun which is controlled by such an absentee antecedent can only occur in a restrained class of discourse contexts)

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