Do-support in the English language (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Other, grade: 2,0, Technical University of Braunschweig (Anglistik und Amerikanistik), language: English, abstract: The following term paper deals with the two different approaches of the usage of do-support by Adger in "Core Syntax- A Minimalist Approach" and Radford's "Analyzing English Sentences". The pivotal question "Why and when do we use the do in some cases and in some not?" should be analyzed in this paper. Therefore, the works of both linguists will be regarded in terms of do-support.

We will see that Adger and Radford base their breakdown on Chomsky's analysis ofauxiliaries in syntactic structures which says that we insert do-support when all other rules fail to apply. Anyway Adger bases his analysis on the so-called Pronouncing Tense Rule (short: PTR). Radford in contrast represents that we always need to attach a verbal affix to an overt verb stem to satisfy the so-called Attachment Condition. If we cannot realize this condition through movement operations like Affix Lowering, do-support needs to kick in.

Adger and Radford both deal with the usage of the do-support in different sentences. First we set up conditions when do-support is necessary and in which cases it is not. Afterwards different sentences will be regarded, always with the question back in mind "Is do-support essential for this sentence to save its grammar?". Therefore, the theories of both linguists will be contrasted. Finally, we'll conclude our analysis and sum up our knowledge.