Abstract
Under current assumptions, the structural representation of a clause consists of three kinds of structural layers, each layer an instantiation of the X-bar schema:
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1.
The lexical layer, headed by the verb, the structural layer in which theta assignment takes place.
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2.
The inflectional layer, headed by functional heads corresponding to concrete or abstract morphological specifications on the verb, and responsible for the licensing of argumental features such as case and agreement.
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3.
The complementizer layer, typically headed by a free functional morpheme, and hosting topics and various operator-like elements such as interrogative and relative pronouns, focalized elements, etc.
In the mid eighties, each layer was identified with a single X-bar projection (VP, IP, CP), but this assumption quickly turned out to be too simplistic. Under the impact of Pollock’s (1989) influential analysis of verb movement, IP dissolved into a series of functional projections, each corresponding to system (Agr, T, Asp,…). Kayne’s (1984) binary branching hypothesis naturally led to the postulation of multiple VP layers for multi-argument verbs, e.g. along the lines of Larson (1988) and much related work.
Preliminary versions of this paper were presented in class lectures at the University of Geneva (1993–94, 1994–95), at the 3ème Cycle Romand on Syntax and Pragmatics, Neuchâtel, Jaunary 1994, and in talks at the University of Florence, June 1994, April 1995 and at DIPSCO, Istituto San Raffaele, Milan, February 1995. This research is part of the FNRS project n. 11-33542.93. Thanks are due to Adriana Belletti, Guglielmo Cinque, Brent De Chenes, Grant Goodall, Maria Teresa Guasti, Liliane Haegeman, Ur Shlonsky, Michal Starke for helpful comments.
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Rizzi, L. (1997). The Fine Structure of the Left Periphery. In: Haegeman, L. (eds) Elements of Grammar. Kluwer International Handbooks of Linguistics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5420-8_7
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