Syntax And/or Pragmatics: Pp-scrambling in Tongan and the Thematic Hierarchy

The present study investigates the syntactic and pragmatic aspects of scrambling in Tongan (Polynesian). Scrambling in Tongan is understood as information focus movement to [Spec, T], and is licensed by two features on T, the EPP and information focus. Scrambling of a PP, however, sometimes results in ungrammaticality even if the relevant PP represents new information. We propose that this is not due to syntactic reasons, but because of the mismatch between the morphosyntax and information structure of the resulting phrase. Specifically, we argue that encoding of information structure must observe two hierarchies: the thematic hierarchy as a markedness scale of discourse topicality and the givenness hierarchy, according to which old/given information must be realized in a morphologically reduced form. Our findings show that pragmatic factors can affect not only the felicitousness, but also the grammaticality of a given construction, suggesting that the interaction between syntax and pragmatics is more dynamic than is generally assumed.