John Benjamins Publishing Company
Syntactic parallels between verbal and nominal φ-morphology in Classical Arabic
Abstract
Much recent work investigates the role of syntax in regulating the distribution of φ-morphology (person, number and gender) in the nominal and clausal domains. Two main ideas are that the syntactic structure that introduces φ-categories in the two domains shows some degree of parallelism and that syntactic processes of agreement and cliticization affect the realization of φ-morphology. Here, the most fine-grained analysis of Classical Arabic φ-morphology to date reveals two strong parallels between the φ-morphology of nouns and verbs: (i) the same morphs are used on both, and (ii) these morphs appear in the same order. The parallels break down in third person: There are third person morphs on pronouns, but not on verbs. While (i) and (ii) are explained by syntactic parallelism, the status of third person is illuminated by the alternation between suffixal and prefixal person-morphology in perfective vs imperfective aspect. First and second person morphs can appear as prefixes or suffixes because they are clitics that are undergoing movement. A comparison of person morphs in pronouns indicates that third person morphs are not clitics, explaining their absence on verbs. These little analyzed data in Classical Arabic reveal a diversity of morphosyntactic processes in what might informally be called agreement.
Abstract
Much recent work investigates the role of syntax in regulating the distribution of φ-morphology (person, number and gender) in the nominal and clausal domains. Two main ideas are that the syntactic structure that introduces φ-categories in the two domains shows some degree of parallelism and that syntactic processes of agreement and cliticization affect the realization of φ-morphology. Here, the most fine-grained analysis of Classical Arabic φ-morphology to date reveals two strong parallels between the φ-morphology of nouns and verbs: (i) the same morphs are used on both, and (ii) these morphs appear in the same order. The parallels break down in third person: There are third person morphs on pronouns, but not on verbs. While (i) and (ii) are explained by syntactic parallelism, the status of third person is illuminated by the alternation between suffixal and prefixal person-morphology in perfective vs imperfective aspect. First and second person morphs can appear as prefixes or suffixes because they are clitics that are undergoing movement. A comparison of person morphs in pronouns indicates that third person morphs are not clitics, explaining their absence on verbs. These little analyzed data in Classical Arabic reveal a diversity of morphosyntactic processes in what might informally be called agreement.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Phonetics and phonology
- How to delete 7
- Are there transfer effects in the Arabic comparative? 33
- Gemination in Rural Jordanian Arabic 53
-
Part II. Syntax
- On complex adjectival phrases in Standard Arabic 79
- The syntax of negative coordination in Jordanian Arabic 93
- Huwwa 113
- Syntactic parallels between verbal and nominal φ-morphology in Classical Arabic 133
-
Part III. Experimental and computational linguistics
- Resumption ameliorates different islands differentially 159
- A probabilistic approach to stress assignment in Arabic 195
- Subject index 219
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Phonetics and phonology
- How to delete 7
- Are there transfer effects in the Arabic comparative? 33
- Gemination in Rural Jordanian Arabic 53
-
Part II. Syntax
- On complex adjectival phrases in Standard Arabic 79
- The syntax of negative coordination in Jordanian Arabic 93
- Huwwa 113
- Syntactic parallels between verbal and nominal φ-morphology in Classical Arabic 133
-
Part III. Experimental and computational linguistics
- Resumption ameliorates different islands differentially 159
- A probabilistic approach to stress assignment in Arabic 195
- Subject index 219
