The syntax of direct quotes in

Spanish and English

Margarita Suer
Presented by Mireia Martnez Bou

Suer, M. (2000). The syntax of direct quotes in Spanish and

English. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 18: 525-578.

distribution
direct quotes
[Ella] le dice: Pap! Qu hace usted ah?...
she

to.him says: Dad!

What do

you

here

She says to him: Dad! What are you doing here?

No es menester que lo digas aada Daniel.

not is

necessary that it.acc say.2s added Daniel

It is not necessary that you say it, Daniel added.

indirect quotes
El muchacho propone que si el seor le aceptara un caf.
the guy

proposes

that if the man from.him would.accept a coffee

The young guy asks whether the man would accept a cup of coffee.

juxtaposition
direct quotes are juxtaposed
possible even with all arguments of V present
Renato le repite una vez ms las instrucciones: Ya sabe...
Renato to.him repeats one time more the instructions
You know
Renato repeats the instructions once more to him: You know

a null argument is needed as a place holder

subject position
with direct quotes

Spanish:
No, no es un enanito, rectifica el viejo.
No, he is not a gnome, corrected the old man.

- Juan es un gran tenor aclara al viejo la mujer.

Juan is a great tenor, explains the woman to the old man.

English:
Id like some more, requested John from his friend.
Id like some more, John requested from his friend.
* Id like some more, requested from his friend John.

subject position
with direct quotes

Spanish:
- Hortensia corrige ella sonriendo.
Hortensia, she corrects smiling.

English:
* Id like some more, requested he from his friend.

Null subjects

adverbs
Spanish:
- Necesita algo ms? pregunta al fin Renato.
Do you need anything else, asks Renato finally.

y Renato asenta mansamente: S, yo le baar

and Renato assented tamely, Yes, I will bathe him

- Y eso? pregunta ella de pronto secamente.

And that?, she suddenly asks drily.

English:
I am leaving, John shouted abruptly.
I am leaving, shouted John abruptly.
* I am leaving, shouted abruptly John.

quantifiers
Spanish:
- Fuego! gritaron todos los vecinos con desesperacin.
Fire!

shouted

all

the neighbours with despair

- Fuego! gritaron con desesperacin todos los vecinos.

* - Fuego! gritaron los vecinos todos con desesperacin.
?? - Fuego! gritaron los vecinos con desesperacin todos.
Gritaron todos los vecinos con desesperacin: Fuego!
Los vecinos gritaron todos con desesperacin: Fuego!

English:
We must do this again, the guests all declared to Tony.
We must do this again, declared all the guests to Tony.
* We must do this again, declared the guests all to Tony.

quote positions
Pero Andrea insiste: Est viejo.
But Andrea insists, Hes getting old.

Ah, cuando yo cantaba en el Scala farfulla el

viejo.
Ah, when I was singing at the Scala! the old man jabbers.

Claro, comprendi el viejo, les ha dicho el

mdico que me queda poco.
Of course, understood the old man, the doctor has told them
that I have little time left.

quotes & DOs

wrap-around quotes how could only part of
the quote front?
quotative V may already appear with its DO
Renato le repite una vez ms las instrucciones: Ya sabe...
Renato repeats the instructions once more to him: You know

quotative V may be intransitive

- Cierto, los moros asiente el profesor.
True, the moors, agrees the professor.

negation
Lets eat, John didnt say just once.
* Lets eat, not said John just once.
Comamos, no dijo Juan una sola vez.
Lets eat

not said Juan

one only time.

complex verbs
EN does not allow QI in complex verbs
What time is it, John was asking of Mona.
* What time is it, was John asking of Mona.
* What time is it, was asking John of Mona.

SP: QI is possible with complex verbs

- No hables le haba pedido Rafael.
Dont talk, Rafael had requested of him.

French also has QI with auxiliaries:

Tas vu mes lunettes? a demand Clotarie Agnan.
Have you seen my glasses? Clotarie asked Annan.

transitivity
ditransitive verbs, constructions:
DP DP

Mafalda gave Guille a kiss.

DP PP

Mafalda gave a kiss to Guille.

QI not permitted with double object verbs,

allowed for those with the DP PP structure
I am happy, Mary told John.
* I am happy, told Mary John.
I am happy, said Mary to John.

transitivity
Spanish: doubled IO
Mara confes sus penas a Susana.
Mara confessed her sorrows to Susana

Mara le confes sus penas a Susana.

Mara to.her confessed her sorrows to Susana

this construction is also possible in QI

- Y la seora?- le pregunt cortsmente el viejo.
And the Mrs.? politely asked the old man of him.

Estate quieto, Juanito! le deca Felisita a su hermano.

Be quiet, Juanito! Felisita said to her brother.

restrictions
QI is a far more restricted process in
English than it is in Spanish
differences not related to Spanish being a
null subject language

reasons
in Spanish, the ec is interpreted as an
anaphoric operator, in English it is
interpreted as a null constant
V behaves differently in each language:
Spanish: a tensed V always raises to T
English: V mostly stays inside the VP

thank you.