Deriving Copy Invisibility from FORMCOPY

Abstract

This paper addresses problems with attributing copy invisibility to its being part of a discontinuous element suggested in Chomsky (2021a, 2021b). To solve the addressed problems, I propose an alternative approach in which copy invisibility is derived from the effect of the operation FORMCOPY in the syntax proper. The proposed analysis further provides a solution to labeling issues arising from the argument of indeterminacy claimed in Chomsky (2021a, 2021b). This paper also discusses issues with the notion ‘structural identity’ - the identity via which FORMCOPY operates - and presents a preliminary alternative conceptualization built upon a theta-inclusive identity.