(1) [John] likes [her] Where [node A] John c-commands [node B]. This means that [node A] also c-commands [node C] and [node D], which means that John c-commands both [likes] and [her]. Syntax Tree In a Parse tree(syntax tree), nodes A and B are replaced with a DP constituent, where the DP John c-commands DP he. In a more complex sentence, such as (2), the pronoun could interact with its antecedent and be interpreted in two ways. (2) [John]i thinks that [he]i/m is smart In this example, two interpretations could be made: (i) John thinks that he is smart (ii) John thinks that someone else is smart In the first interpretation, John c-commands he and also co-references he. Co-reference is noted by the same subscript (i) present under both of the DP nodes. The second interpretation shows that John c-commands he but does not co-references the DP he. Since co-reference is not possible, there are different subscripts under the DP John (i) and the DP he (m). Definite Anaphora Example sentences like these shows the basic relationship of pronouns with its antecedent expression. However, looking at definite anaphora where pronouns takes a definite descriptions as its antecedent, we see that pronouns with name cannot co-refer with its antecedent within its domain. (3) Hei thinks that Johni* is smart Where [he] c-commands [John] but [he]i cannot co-refer to [John]i*, and we can only interpret that someone else thinks that John is smart. In response of the limits of c-command, Reinhart proposes a constraint on definite anaphora: A given pronoun [DP e.g., he in (3)] must be interpreted as non-coreferential with any distinct non-pronouns [e.g. John] in its c-command domain Binding Theory The notion of c-command can be found in frameworks such as Binding Theory, which shows the syntactic relationship between pronouns and its antecedent. The binding theory framework was first introduced by Chomsky in 1973 in relation to the treatment of various anaphoric phenomena, and has since been revised throughout the years. Chomsky's analysis places a constraint on the relationship between a pronoun and a variable antecedent. As such, a variable cannot be the antecedent of a pronoun to its left. The first major revision to binding theory is found in Chomsky (1980) with their standard definitions: a. An anaphor α is bound in β if there is a category c-commanding it and coindexed with it in β b. Otherwise, α