The Category P Features, Projections, Interpretation

1
1. Introduction
In the early stages of the development of linguistic theory, the category P (i.e.
preposition/postposition) was viewed as syntactically insignificant. Ps were analyzed
mostly as a kind of appendix to the NP (nominal phrase), rather than a syntactic
category on its own (Ross 1967, Fillmore 1968, Postal 1971) (see Van Riemsdijk
1978 for a critical overview). 1
Although the first serious recognition of Ps and PPs (prepositional phrases) can
be traced back to Klima (1965), it is only since Jackendoff (1973, 1977) that P is
standardly assumed to be an independent syntactic head.
With the recognition of P as a syntactic category, the following question arose:
What is the status of P in the lexicon? Is P a ‘lexical’ head, similar to N(oun), V(erb)
and A(djective), or a ‘functional’ one like D(eterminer) and C(omplementizer)? The
question proved to be difficult to answer.
Indeed, the classification of P along the lexical/functional dimension does not
present itself. As we will see directly, the discussed category exhibits an unparalleled
degree of semantic and syntactic diversity, complicating the task at hand. In the past
three decades the classification of P ranged from ‘lexical’ through ‘semi-lexical’ to
‘functional’ (cf. Jackendoff 1977, Van Riemsdijk 1990, 1998, Grimshaw 1991,
respectively). However, despite its various classifications, the discussed category
continues to present unique problems for the linguistic theory.
In the first part of the chapter I will review and discuss briefly the major
approaches to P in the past thirty years, highlighting their motivation and contribution,
and pointing out the problems left unresolved. The second part is dedicated to the
goal, the main claims and the outline of the present study. The theoretical background
assumed throughout the study concludes the chapter.
1 Ps are viewed as Case-markings attached to NPs in Fillmore (1968), and as features on NPs in Postal
(1971). In the generative semantics approach Ps were equated with verbs.