Clausal Typing Vacuous Movement Hypothesis
Cheng (1991) argues that in languages with overt wh-movement, Spec,CP must contain a wh-element (where wh elements include wh-subjects). This follows from the Clausal Typing Hypothesis.
(1)
According to Cheng, the Clausal Typing Hypothesis (CTH) takes effect at S-Structure. It predicts that if a language lacks overt wh-movement, it will employ a particle in the CP system in interrogative sentences. It follows that the wh-subject must move to Spec,CP in English—otherwise, subject questions would not be properly typed as interrogative.
In the contemporary minimalist framework, where the level of S Structure plays no part, one could argue that the CTH takes effect only at LF, since clausal typing would seem to be principally a matter of se mantic interpretation. Such an approach would allow the wh-subject to remain in the subject position in overt syntax, then raise covertly to satisfy the CTH. This works if the VMH in (3) is interpreted as relevant for overt wh-movement only. However, if the CTH is relevant for LF only, we lose the generalization captured by Cheng: languages that lack overt wh-movement exhibit an interrogative particle in CP, and languages that lack a particle exhibit wh-movement. This is so because the CTH (relevant for LF only) predicts an apparently nonexistent language with obligatory wh-in-situ and covert insertion of a particle in (both yes/no and wh-) interrogatives, which would have no phonological effect. This argues that the CTH is relevant for PF as well as LF. Thus, clausal typing remains a problem for the VMH as stated in (3).
