Gapless Right-Dislocation: The Role of Overt Correlates

Abstract

This paper examines the syntax of gapless right-dislocations in Korean. I argue that gapless right-dislocation constructions are not uniform, but divided into two types: specificational and repetitive right-dislocation. I propose that specificational right-dislocation constructions are derived by rightward movement in a mono-clausal structure, whereas repetitive right-dislocations are a result of ellipsis in a bi-clausal structure. Evidence for my proposal is drawn from a wide range of syntactic and semantic differences between the two types of gapless right-dislocation. This paper also shows that gapped right-dislocations are a type of a specificational construction. In doing so, I argue that a hybrid approach is necessary to explain the diverse syntactic and semantic patterns observed in right-dislocation.