This study investigates the phenomenon of category mismatches in coordinate structures, challenging the traditional Law of the Coordination of Likes (LCL) which posits that only elements of identical syntactic categories can be conjoined. Conducted by the author, the research aligns with recent debates suggesting that mismatches are permissible under certain conditions, specifically adhering to Wasow’s generalization. The findings indicate that while some category mismatches are acceptable, the structural order of conjuncts plays a critical role in their grammaticality.

The methodology involved a forced-choice experiment focusing on German, an OV language, to test the acceptability of mismatching DP-CP coordinations. Results demonstrated that speakers preferred structures where the selected DP was the leftmost conjunct, contradicting predictions made by both linear adjacency and processing-based accounts. This suggests that the asymmetry in coordination structures significantly influences grammaticality judgments, revealing that linear order does not dictate selectional relationships as previously thought.

The implications of this research extend to theoretical discussions on syntax and coordination, questioning the universality of the LCL and Wasow’s generalization. It also highlights the need for further exploration of cross-linguistic variation in coordination structures, offering insights that could inform computational models of syntax and parsing in language technology.

Source: glossa-journal.org