ABSTRACT
The analysis of the French construction of Complex Inversion illustrated in (1) below raises difficulties with respect to current conceptions of available phrase structure:
Jean est-il malade?
Is John sick?
Depuis quand Jean est-il malade?
Since when is John sick?
The problem arises from the conjunction of the following several factors. First, Complex Inversion is a root phenomenon. It is consequently reasonable, as suggested in general by den Besten (1983) extrapolating from the classic V2 effect and adopted ever since, to suppose that it involves raising of I to C. Second, Wh Movement is to [Spec, CP]. Third, it appears that the subject DP intervenes between the wh-phrase and the highest verb (as in (1)). Where then is this DP subject? Finally, and to compound the problem, it appears that a pronominal copy of the subject may co-occur with a full DP subject, making Complex Inversion a construction with two subjects.