Future WH-Clauses in DP-Positions

Abstract

The paper presents Future wh-clauses (FWHCs), a previously unnoticed type of whclauses, and discusses its key properties. Namely, selection by a small class of accomplishment predicates, restriction for Future Tense in the wh-clause, NP-type nonpresuppositional semantics, where the FWHC denotes an individual defined by a unique property, strong feeling of current relevance associated with the selecting predicates, and compatibility of the selecting predicates with ‘since’-adverbials. It is argued (a) that FWHCs are interpreted as intensional definite DPs; (b) that in ‘selecting’ FWHCs the matrix predicates are used intensionally; and (c) that the selecting predicates have a ‘perfect’ component in their decomposed lexical structure. FWHCs are distinguished from Irrealis Free Relatives.