A constructional analysis for the skeptical

Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of phonologically null elements in HPSG by providing an analysis of the construction exemplified by NPs such as `the rich', `the beautiful', `the unemployed', which lack an overt noun. The properties of this construction are explored in detail, and a number of approaches described: in particular approaches which posit a phonologically empty noun, and constructional approaches. It is shown that a constructional approach is empirically superior. This is interesting, theoretically, because empirical differences between such approaches have proved elusive hitherto.