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Example 3 They asked if the mechanics fixed the cars. (Chomsky 2013:41)
Initial Stream: ['car', 'n_3rd_pl', 'the', 'fix', 'v*', ['the', 'n_3rd_pl', 'mechanic'], 'Tpast', 'C_if', 'ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']

Successful Derivation 1


Merge 1
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['the', 'fix', 'v*', ['the', 'n_3rd_pl', 'mechanic'], 'Tpast', 'C_if', 'ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Unlabeled:


Merge 2
Merge: pair-Merge
Stream: ['fix', 'v*', ['the', 'n_3rd_pl', 'mechanic'], 'Tpast', 'C_if', 'ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Label stays
the same:



Merge 3
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['v*', ['the', 'n_3rd_pl', 'mechanic'], 'Tpast', 'C_if', 'ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Unlabeled:


Merge 4
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: [['the', 'n_3rd_pl', 'mechanic'], 'Tpast', 'C_if', 'ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Operations: Checked Features: 'uPerson' 'uNumber' 'uGender'
Unlabeled:
Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:


Substream
Stream: ['mechanic', 'n_3rd_pl', 'the']

Merge 5
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['the']
Unlabeled:


Merge 6
Merge: pair-Merge
Stream: []
Label stays
the same:


Main Stream


Merge 7
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: [['mechanic', 'n_3rd_pl', 'the'], 'Tpast', 'C_if', 'ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Unlabeled:


Merge 8
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['C_if', 'ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Operations: Checked Features: 'uPerson' 'uNumber' 'uGender'
Unlabeled:


Merge 9
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Operations: Checked Features: 'uPerson' 'uNumber' 'uGender'
Unlabeled:
Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Crash (Unlabeled):

Backtrack (check for another possible derivation: Free Merge): Attempt: #2
Continued from Merge 8

Merge 10
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['C_if', 'ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Unlabeled:


Merge 11
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Operations: Checked Features: 'uPerson' 'uNumber' 'uGender'
Unlabeled:
Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Label via
shared features:

Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

FormCopy:
Label via
movement:



Merge 12
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Unlabeled:


Merge 13
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: [['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Unlabeled:

Substream
Stream: ['they', 'n_3rd_pl']

Merge 14
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: []
Unlabeled:

Main Stream


Merge 15
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: [['they', 'n_3rd_pl'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Unlabeled:


Merge 16
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['C']
Operations: Checked Features: 'uPerson' 'uNumber' 'uGender'
Unlabeled:


Merge 17
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: []
Unlabeled:
Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Crash (Unlabeled):

Backtrack (check for another possible derivation: Free Merge): Attempt: #3
Continued from Merge 16

Merge 18
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['C']
Unlabeled:


Merge 19
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: []
Unlabeled:
Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Label via
shared features:

Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

FormCopy:
Label from
Head:

Label via
movement:

Label from
Head:

Transfer:
Frontier:

Spell Out: C n they T(Past,3rd,pl) v ask Cif the n mechanic T(Past,3rd,pl) v* fix the n car
PF Rules: they T(Past,3rd,pl)+ask
they asked if the mechanics T(Past,3rd,pl)+fix
they asked if the mechanics fixed the cars

Successful Derivation 1
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Backtrack (check for another possible derivation: Free Merge): Attempt: #4
Continued from Merge 3

Merge 20
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: ['v*', ['the', 'n_3rd_pl', 'mechanic'], 'Tpast', 'C_if', 'ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Unlabeled:


Merge 21
Merge: set-Merge
Stream: [['the', 'n_3rd_pl', 'mechanic'], 'Tpast', 'C_if', 'ask', 'v', ['n_3rd_pl', 'they'], 'Tpast', 'C']
Operations: Checked Features: 'uPerson' 'uNumber' 'uGender'
Unlabeled:
Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

Label from
Head:

FormCopy:
Crash (Unlabeled):

# of Backtracks: 3
# of Crashes: 3
# of Successful Derivations: 1

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