Information About

C-command
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syntactic relationships
   
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In the following tree:
  • ''A'' c-commands ''C'', ''D'', and ''E''.

  • ''B'' does not c-command any nodes.

  • ''C'' c-commands ''A''.

  • ''D'' c-commands ''E''.

  • ''E'' c-commands ''D''.




   B

  / \

 A   C

    / \

   D   E


A node "dominates" another node if it is above it in the tree (it is a parent, grandparent, etc.) The formal definition is that ''X'' c-commands ''Y'' if:
  • ''X'' does not dominate ''Y''.

  • ''Y'' does not dominate ''X''.

  • ''by some accounts'', the first node that dominates ''X'' also dominates ''Y''.

  • ''by other accounts'', the first ''branching'' node that dominates ''X'' also dominates ''Y''.


The following tree is an example of where the two accounts differ in their result. If all nodes are considered, then ''A'' does not c-command any other nodes, because ''B'' dominates it and does not dominate any other nodes; if only branching nodes are considered, then ''B'' is irrelevant in evaluating the third criterion, and ''A'' c-commands ''D'', ''E'', and ''F''.



   C

  / \

 B   D