7.3.2 Wh-movement

The main issue to be discussed is why wh-elements move to the specifier of the CP. We have seen that movement of DPs to the specifier of IP is motivated by the need to circumvent the actions of the Case filter. But this cannot be the motivation for wh-movements. This can be argued for from a number of perspectives. First note that wh-movement does not always involve DPs, unlike movements to spec IP. As the Case filter concerns only the distribution of DPs, it cannot be the motivation for all wh-movements and there must be another reason for why non-DP wh-elements, at least, undergo the process. Moreover, the Case filter cannot be the motivation for DP wh-elements moving to spec CP. This is because DP wh-elements move to spec CP from Case positions: