Reciprocal pronoun

The differences in the distribution of reflexives and reciprocals are illustrated below using X-bar theory tree diagrams.

For example, reciprocal pronouns can appear in the subject position of noun phrases, whereas reflexives cannot.

As we can see in the X-bar theory tree diagram of (6b), the reciprocal pronoun is in the subject position of the embedded clause, which is introduced by complementizer "that".

In this case, the reciprocal pronoun is not necessarily the ideal construction, but the reflexive is not a possible grammatical sentence.

This suggests that while reflexives require a proper binder, reciprocals may appear in positions that are not governed this way, and can even be in a different clause than the antecedent.

The differences can be summarized as follows: Syntactically, reciprocals can be realized as free or bound pronouns, as NP arguments or as verbal affixes.

These have a similar pattern to personal pronouns, as they are morphemes independent from the verb (and not clitics, or inflection markers).

They possess person features: the reciprocal pronoun surfaces differently when its antecedent is first-, second- or third-person.

(Evans 2008: 58 (26)Person-unmarked free pronouns occur in languages that do not have distinct forms for all persons.

(Evans 2008: 59 (28))Reciprocal pronouns can be affixed to either the verb, or to the auxiliary base, as in Warlpiri: Ngarrka-jarra-rluman-DU-ERGka-pala-nyanuIPFV-3DU.SBJ-RECIPpaka-rni.strike-NPSTNgarrka-jarra-rlu ka-pala-nyanu paka-rni.man-DU-ERG IPFV-3DU.SBJ-RECIP strike-NPST'The (two) men are striking each other.'

In nonfinite clauses and infinitive constructions, the clitic follows the verb in Spanish and Italian, but not in French.

Each other constructions characterize an entire set of individuals (as indicated by the plural antecedent), but allow for some vagueness in their interpretation.

[3] In examining the scope of reciprocal pronouns, we can see that in English, the antecedent must be plural and must receive at least a (weakly) distributed interpretation.

The English example in (11a) is interpreted relative to members of the group denoted by the reciprocal antecedent the boys.