A Pronoun Analysis of Null Arguments in Korean

Abstract

This paper aims to account for null arguments in Korean under pro analysis. Korean is a radical pro-drop language; therefore pro is extremely productive. Thus, if pro analysis can capture interpretations of null arguments without postulating a separate operation such as argument ellipsis, it will be a good example of Occams razor. We highlight the premise that pro is a silent form of an overt pronoun. This paper shows that the pronoun analysis of null arguments is both conceptually and empirically advantageous. Sloppy readings and nonspecific readings for mass nouns are regarded as data apparently supporting argument ellipsis. However, we show that the data can be reanalyzed under parallelism between null arguments and overt pronouns. We also show that only pronoun analysis can give a solid explanation to scope interaction between disjunction and negation and ellipsis-resistant constituents. We further discuss some advantages of pronoun analysis in comparison with another type of pro analysis, N(P) substitution analysis.