ABSTRACT
The idea of θ-alignment is that there are significant regularities in the mapping between θ-roles and syntactic positions. Passive structures have been a long-standing problem for this idea, because the external argument appears to be represented syntactically as an adjunct (a by-phrase), despite its interpretation as an argument. I will argue here that appearances are deceiving in this case and that the by-phrase in passives is in fact represented syntactically as an external argument. Apparent evidence for the adjunct status of by-phrases is examined and ultimately rejected. Evidence in favor of the argument status of the by-phrase comes from ellipsis, VP-fronting, so-anaphora, and incorporation, and evidence that it is represented specifically as an external argument comes from reflexives and VP-fronting.
