[Human] (Mis)match in Korean Pseudocleft Constructions

Abstract

This paper is to investigate the fact that the kes-clause in the subject position of Korean specificational Pseudocleft is construed either as human or non-human, but the clause elsewhere is construed only as non-human. We propose that this peculiar construal is attributed to the (expletive) null operator in the [Spec,CP] of the kes-clause, which can only merge into the non-thematic subject position. The other thematic positions cannot host the kes-clause whose projection is labeled by the (expletive) null operator. They rather house the kes-clause whose head kes with the interpretable [-human] feature determines the label of its projection. In essence, this paper shows that in the kes clause of Pseudoclefts in Korean either the clausal head kes or the null operator in the [Spec,CP] position enters into labeling the clausal projection, depending on its occurrence in a thematic or non-thematic position.