Long-distance dependencies without filler−gaps: acognitive-functional alternative in Fluid Construction Grammar

Author

Van Trijp, Remi

Abstract

Long-distance dependencies are notoriously difficult to analyze in a formally explicit way because they involve constituents that seem to have been extracted from their canonical position in an utterance. The most widespread solution is to identify agapat anextraction siteand to communicate information about that gap to itsfiller, as inWhat\_FILLERdid you see\_GAP?This paper rejects the filler−gap solution and proposes a cognitive-functional alternative in which long-distance dependencies spontaneously emerge as a side effect of how grammatical constructions interact with each other for expressing different conceptualizations. The proposal is supported by a computational implementation in Fluid Construction Grammar that works for both parsing and production.