2.2.1.4. Null arguments for subject and object

Subjects and objects can be omitted.  The subject of a plain verb can be null.

 

   güla last week bodrum go. Øa_lot swim

 ‘Gül went to Bodrum last week.  (She) swam a lot.’

                                                        (adapted from Kayabaşı, et.al. in press, , example 3)

In the answer to the preceding question which contains the antecedent arguments, both the subject and the object of a plain verb can be omitted.  

                  

            ________________________________y/n

A:        boy       poss2     notebook dirty     q_part

            ‘Did the boy dirty your notebook?’

 

 

B:        yes  øa  øb  dirty

            ‘Yes, he dirtied (it).’

                                                           (adapted from Kayabaşı, et.al. in press, example 4)

 

 

The subject and the indirect object of a double agreement verb can also be omitted.

 

  

womana                      manb                                seeb                                                                          ask

            ‘The woman saw the man. (S/he) (him/her) Asked a question.’

 

                                                                       (adapted from Kayabaşı, et.al. in press, Fig. 1)

 

 

See also [Syntax - 2.3].