Parallels between Norninal and Verbal Projections

Abstract This chapter examines nominal structures in which of-insertion has taken place. It is argued that such structures involve movement of the predicate to the specifier of of, which is itself a complementizer in the nominal structure. The analysis is an extension of some of the proposals of Kayne (1994). The main argument in favour of the particular analysis is based on properties of infinitival nominalizations in Dutch. However, there is no reason why the analysis should be limited to of-insertion in these nominalizations, and it is therefore argued that the analysis extends to other nominal constructions, both basic noun and derived nominal constructions. I will then argue that an inversion analysis may shed light on an as yet ill-understood property of nominal constructions, viz. the fact that they are so limited in their argument structure possibilities when compared to verbal constructions.