Binding into pronouns

Abstract: Plural pronouns display a surprising binding asymmetry. While a 1P.SG subject pronoun can bind the 1P.SG element within a 1P.PL pronoun (Je nous ai acheté des billets ‘Ii bought usi+j tickets’), a 2P.SG pronoun cannot bind the 2P.SG element in a 2P.PL pronoun (*Tu vous as acheté des billets ‘Youi bought youi+j tickets’). This contrast is most striking with clitic pronouns, as contrastive focus on one of the pronouns improves the relevant sentences in other languages. The reverse situation, with SG pronouns bound by PL subject pronouns, always yields ungrammaticality: (*Nous m’avons acheté des billets ‘Wei+j bought mei tickets’; *Vous t’avez acheté des billets ‘Youi+j bought youi tickets’). Such asymmetries of disjoint reference can be accounted for if the internal structure of plural pronouns is syntactically accessible. 1P.PL pronouns will be shown to be internally more complex than 2P.PL pronouns, a difference that is also typologically justified. The interaction between binding theory and the different internal structure of 1P.PL and 2P.PL plural pronouns then derives the observed generalizations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]