Reducing the Proper Binding Condition to Order Preservation

Abstract

Based on the contrast between scrambling and RNR with respect to the Proper Binding Condition, Saito (1987) suggests that RNR is a stylistic rule applying in the PF component, while scrambling is an instance of S-structure movement. However, Sabbagh's (2007) observation on the semantic effect of RNR, ie., the inverse-scope possibility, indicates that RNR cannot be said to be an operation just at PF. Assuming that RNR as well as scrambling is a S-structure operation (i.e., an operation before Spell-Out), I argue in this paper that the contrast between scrambling and RNR with respect to the PBC can be captured if the PBC is a consequence of Order Preservation of Fox and Pesetsky (2005). The proposal has a desirable implication that the so called remnant movement is allowed as far as Order Preservation is obeyed. I show that the proposal can be extended to Huang's (1993) data, with another implication that VP rather than vP is a Spell-Out domain in English.