Romance disagreements: phonology interfering with syntax

Abstract

1. On the (no doubt reasonable) assumption that cross-linguistic variation is subject to limitations due to the existence of universal constraints on linguistic rules and regularities, it is obviously desirable as a matter of descriptive principle to draw the limits within which individual languages may vary from one another as narrowly as the available cross-linguistic empirical evidence (plausibly interpreted) allows. Focusing on two interestingly interrelated aspects of linguistic regularities, viz. on possible conditions on agreement and on possible interactions of phonology and syntax, this paper once more tells a familiar tale: drawing the limits as narrowly as seems feasible vis-à-vis a relatively broad range of data may unfortunately turn out to be unjustified in the light of further, previously unavailable or – worse – ignored evidence. One always hopes, though, that having to redraw the limits is not tantamount to admitting that languages after all perhaps do vary without assignable limit.