Notes on the map of the left periphery in Danish

Abstract

Vikner (1991) showed that certain complex complementizer sequences, in particular the som at der sequence in subject relatives, are possible in Danish. In this note, I argue that such sequences are naturally amenable to a cartographic analysis, in which the som particle expresses the highest structural layer in relative clauses, the at particle occupies the position in which this element normally occurs in embedded declaratives, and der occupies the Fin position in subject relatives. Such a nominal specifi cation of Fin licenses subject movement much as -i in qui French relatives according to the analysis presented in Rizzi & Shlonsky (2007). I argue that the high “analyticity” (in (Huang’s 2015 sense) of the Danish complementizer system offers interesting evidence for the general map of the left periphery.