T-to-C movement in Polynesian: a case study of Tokelauan

Middleton, John and Syed, Saurov (2022) T-to-C movement in Polynesian: a case study of Tokelauan. [Conference Proceedings]

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Abstract

This paper argues that the T-to-C movement that has been proposed for Polynesian languages like Tongan and Samoan (Otsuka 2005, Collins 2017) is in fact TAM-to-Fin movement in Tokelauan. We come to this conclusion as certain Tokelauan complementisers can never co-occur with TAM particles while other complementisers can. Adopting the analysis of Custis (2004) and Collins (2017) that TAM particles do not co-occur with complementisers because they compete for the same syntactic slot, we propose a finer left periphery for Tokelauan (à la Rizzi 1997) where complementisers like pe/kāfai, which can co-occur with complementisers, occupy the Force-head and do not compete with the TAM particle. Complementisers like ke/oi, which cannot co-occur with complementisers, are generated in the Fin-head, a position that the TAM competes for as well.

Item Type:	Conference Proceedings
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > PL Languages and literatures of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania
Divisions:	School of Pacific Arts, Communication and Education (SPACE)
Depositing User:	John Middleton
Date Deposited:	03 Jun 2025 23:22
Last Modified:	03 Jun 2025 23:22
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/14963

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