The Category P Features, Projections, Interpretation

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possibility that in principle exists for any nominal. In other words, even if the
assumption that object gap nominals lack D is on the right track, the absence of D has
to be motivated. In the following section (5.3) I will explain why the nominals of
object gap constructions do not combine with D.
5.2.3 The internal argument of e-N
Grimshaw (1990) shows that the internal theta-role(s) of an e-N is assigned to a
syntactic, phonetically realized argument. However, the internal argument of the
nominal introduced by le- in object gap constructions is never phonetically realized,
either as a clitic (14b) or as a full pronoun (14c). This is illustrated for the Hebrew
TC:
(14) a. ha-sefer i kal/kaše li-kri’a e i
the-book easy/difficult to-reading
“The book is easy/difficult to read.”
b. *ha-sefer i kal/kaše li-kri’at-o i
the-book easy/difficult to-reading-it
c. *ha-sefer i kal/kaše li-kri’a šel-o i
the-book easy/difficult to-reading of-it
The question arises whether this argument exists in the argument structure of the
nominal. Based on the observation in Engelhardt (1998), the answer seems to be
positive.
Engelhardt observes that the occurrence of oblique arguments in e-Ns is
conditioned by the assignment of the Theme (15). The TC in (16) shows that the Goal
argument of the e-N introduced by le- can be realized. Thus, it is reasonable to
conclude that the Theme of the e-N introduced by le- in (16) is also assigned, and
therefore obviously present in the argument structure of the nominal. 12
(15) xaluka *(šel ha-trufot) la-xolim…
distribution (of the-medicine) to+the-patients...
12 What seems to be not a necessary assumption is that the Theme theta-role is assigned to the object
position of the nominal introduced by le- (see section 5.3).