Abstract
Standard assumptions maintain that D-Linked wh-phrases (DLW) presuppose discourse-givenness and contrastiveness being associated to the referent expressed by the wh-associate DP. Developing the characterization of DLW as involving a [TOP] feature, the novelty this contribution advances is that in Hail Arabic, a Najdi variety of Arabic, DLW encodes Familiar Topic [F-Topic], a Topic value that is distinguished within Topics typology, while contrastiveness is not consistently involved in DLW interpretation. Investigating weɪn ‘where-pattern’, we demonstrate that DLW is expressed via cliticization; a mechanism whereby a clitic φ-agreeing with the DP is spelled out on weɪn. Implementing Cartographic and Minimalist assumptions, it is shown that DLW movement, triggered by u-[φ], is Shortest, targeting the outer Spec of PrP. This Shortest movement allows weɪn to φ-probe the DP, an Agree relation that results in lexicalizing the clitic on weɪn, driving weɪn-CL and demotivating peripheral movement of weɪn. The DP receives F-Topic interpretation, valued by v-[F-TOP] on weɪn. Further insight emerges where the DP carries contrastiveness due to u-[CONT], which triggers movement of the DP to the Spec of a C-layer dedicated for Contrastiveness, KontP, stranding weɪn-CL in PrP-domain. The extracted DP receives Contrastive Topic interpretation by the combination of F-Topic and CONTRAST.
Abbreviations
- [TOP]
-
Topic Feature
- [C-TOP]
-
Contrastive Topic Feature
- [F-TOP]
-
Familiar Topic Feature
- [φ]
-
Agreement feature(s)
- [δ]
-
Discourse feature
- [Q]
-
Question feature
- [CONT]
-
Contrastiveness Feature
- [WH]
-
Wh-feature
- KONT
-
Kontrast feature
- KontP
-
Contras Phrase
- PrP
-
Predicate Phrase
- IntP
-
Interrogative Phrase
- FocP
-
Focus Phrase
- TopP
-
Topic Phrase
- S-A-TopP
-
Shifting-Aboutness Topic Phrase
- LocP
-
Locative Phrase
- C-domain
-
CP domain
- C-layer
-
CP related layer
- DLW
-
Discourse Linked wh-phrase
- FOC
-
Focus
- IF
-
Information Focus
- CF
-
Contrastive Focus
- CT-interpretation
-
Contrastive Topic interpretation
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