Encoding reflexivity: The syntax and semantics of natural reflexives

Abstract

This paper suggests that reflexivity of natural reflexives is encoded through a universal reflexive element, Refl(exive). The function of Refl is to (i) take two open predicates of type <e,st>, (ii) associate the unsaturated variables of the predicates with each other, and (iii) return another predicate of type <e,st> (cf. Labelle 2008). Crosslinguistic differences regarding the reflexive (Reinhart & Siloni 2005) are attributed to the different selectional properties of Refl in different languages. The proposed analysis offers an account of the typology of the reflexive in purely syntactic terms, extending Pylkkanen’s (2008) analysis of causatives to the reflexive.