Aspects of Portuguese Grammar: Minimalist Analyses

Abstract

This is a compilation of the last five post-graduate research projects directed by Lucia Lobato. Our goal is to exemplify two recurring issues in Lobato’s work: (i) the emphasis on lexical features and structural features and (ii) the study of compositionality. Considering data mainly from Brazilian Portuguese, we focus on the following phenomena: Effects of aspectual features on Merge within the VP and on (un)availability of causative and psych alternations, subject inversion as an instance of locative inversion, covert and overt object shift through [spec, AgroP], and control within inflected and non-inflected infinitival clauses.