Tensed-S Condition
Encyclopedia
The Tensed-S condition is a condition proposed in Chomsky
(1973) which essentially stipulates that certain classes of syntactic transformational rules
cannot apply across clause boundaries. The condition is formalised as follows:
Tensed-S condition (TSC)
"No rule can involve X, Y in the structure
... X ... [α... Y ...] ...
where α is a tensed sentence."
(Chomsky 1973: 238)
The rule accounts for such phenomena as the lack of passivization (a process which turns an active sentence into a passive
one) in sentence (2) below:
(1) The footballers are believed [to be talented]
(2) *The footballers are believed [are talented]
Based on the assumption that "The footballers" originates inside the square brackets in both sentences (as the thematic subject
of the predicate "be talented"), the TSC prohibits its raising (via A-movement) out of the finite clause in (2), but not the non-finite clause in (1).
The TSC (along with the SSC
) also has implications for binding theory in conjunction with a simple rule of disjoint reference (which stipulated that any pronoun following an NP
antecedent in the same sentence, has disjoint reference with it; the rule applies anywhere unless it is blocked). The disjoint reference rule can apply in examples like (3) and (4) (which is an ECM
structure) below, but is blocked from applying by the TSC in sentences (5) and (6) – where there are clause boundaries – thereby allowing the pronoun to refer back to the antecedent.
(3) *Johni likes himi
(4) *Johni believes himi to like Mary
(5) Johni said that Mary likes himi
(6) Johni said that hei likes Mary
The way the TSC accounted for binding as well as movement phenomena (such as the passivization examples above), was influential for much subsequent research which tried to reduce binding and movement to the same set of principles (see Kayne
(2002) for a recent implementation). The subsequent binding conditions A and B of Chomsky (1981) essentially replaced the TSC (as well as the SSC), and it is no longer a part of the toolkit of current researchers.
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
(1973) which essentially stipulates that certain classes of syntactic transformational rules
Transformational grammar
In linguistics, a transformational grammar or transformational-generative grammar is a generative grammar, especially of a natural language, that has been developed in the Chomskyan tradition of phrase structure grammars...
cannot apply across clause boundaries. The condition is formalised as follows:
Tensed-S condition (TSC)
"No rule can involve X, Y in the structure
... X ... [α... Y ...] ...
where α is a tensed sentence."
(Chomsky 1973: 238)
The rule accounts for such phenomena as the lack of passivization (a process which turns an active sentence into a passive
Passive voice
Passive voice is a grammatical voice common in many of the world's languages. Passive is used in a clause whose subject expresses the theme or patient of the main verb. That is, the subject undergoes an action or has its state changed. A sentence whose theme is marked as grammatical subject is...
one) in sentence (2) below:
(1) The footballers are believed [to be talented]
(2) *The footballers are believed [are talented]
Based on the assumption that "The footballers" originates inside the square brackets in both sentences (as the thematic subject
Thematic role
Thematic role is a linguistic notion, which may refer to:* Theta role * Thematic relation...
of the predicate "be talented"), the TSC prohibits its raising (via A-movement) out of the finite clause in (2), but not the non-finite clause in (1).
The TSC (along with the SSC
Specified subject condition
The Specified Subject Condition is a condition proposed in Chomsky which restricts the application of certain syntactic transformational rules. In many ways it is a counterpart to the Tensed-S Condition , applying to non-finite clauses and complex DPs which are not covered by the TSC...
) also has implications for binding theory in conjunction with a simple rule of disjoint reference (which stipulated that any pronoun following an NP
Noun phrase
In grammar, a noun phrase, nominal phrase, or nominal group is a phrase based on a noun, pronoun, or other noun-like word optionally accompanied by modifiers such as adjectives....
antecedent in the same sentence, has disjoint reference with it; the rule applies anywhere unless it is blocked). The disjoint reference rule can apply in examples like (3) and (4) (which is an ECM
ECM verb
Exceptional case-marking is a concept of the government and binding theory of syntax to analyze certain verbs. Verbs in English that have been analyzed as involving exceptional case-marking include believe and prove, as in:...
structure) below, but is blocked from applying by the TSC in sentences (5) and (6) – where there are clause boundaries – thereby allowing the pronoun to refer back to the antecedent.
(3) *Johni likes himi
(4) *Johni believes himi to like Mary
(5) Johni said that Mary likes himi
(6) Johni said that hei likes Mary
The way the TSC accounted for binding as well as movement phenomena (such as the passivization examples above), was influential for much subsequent research which tried to reduce binding and movement to the same set of principles (see Kayne
Richard Kayne
Richard Stanley Kayne is Professor of Linguistics in the Linguistics Department at New York University.After receiving an A.B. in mathematics from Columbia College, New York in 1964, he studied linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, receiving his Ph.D. in 1969...
(2002) for a recent implementation). The subsequent binding conditions A and B of Chomsky (1981) essentially replaced the TSC (as well as the SSC), and it is no longer a part of the toolkit of current researchers.