Local identity avoidance and reflexivity

Abstract

In a great many languages something special is required for the expression of reflexivity. Cross-linguistically what is necessary varies from marking the object (e.g. pronoun + intensifier, a body-part noun, etc.), or using a special verb form (e.g. affix, special clitic, etc.). We discuss the limits of certain extant approaches to binding in accounting for this pattern. Going over the various cases we show that a key factor underlying this pattern is "local identity avoidance"If a DP were to bind a coargument straight away a logical form would result with two occurrences of the same variable in a local domain. Unless these can be kept apart, this would lead to a violation of a general principle of computation, not specific to language. We point towards possibly similar effects in other domains. We then discuss what underlies the variation in the ways languages express reflexivity. Universal is the need to find a strategy to avoid the consequences of our Inability to distinguish indistinguishables (IDI), but the specific choice will depend on the resources that are available in a particular language.