In this paper I propose that the crucial step in the evolution of complex subordinatesyntax out of simple paratactic expressions consists in the use of certain grammatical elements (notably, deictic pronouns) for referring to events and other abstract entities. Iargue that the development of complex sentences is made possible by event reference together with the predicate argument structure of simple sentences. As a consequence, theevolution towards syntactic complexity can be explained without assuming an alleged syntactic transformation of adjoined sentences into complex subordinate sentential structures.
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