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Generic expressions in Tunisian Arabic

Beyond the definite article al-

Abstract

Previous analyses of generic expressions in Arabic have focused on definite singular and plural DPs headed with the definite article al- (Fehri, 2004; Al-Malki et al., 2014). This study introduces an additional type of generic reference expressed with the Tunisian Arabic (TA) demonstrative hāk. Based on an analysis of naturally occurring discourse, this study shows that the felicity of this generic demonstrative is subject to a number of constraints. First, the generic demonstrative hāk always occurs with a plural count or singular non-count noun and a restrictive modifier in order to denote a familiar (i.e., in memory) kind set. Second, the evoked kind set must be a relatively subordinate and atypical (i.e., less central) kind set in accordance with Rosch (1978) and Lakoff’s (1987) principles of categorization.

Abstract

Previous analyses of generic expressions in Arabic have focused on definite singular and plural DPs headed with the definite article al- (Fehri, 2004; Al-Malki et al., 2014). This study introduces an additional type of generic reference expressed with the Tunisian Arabic (TA) demonstrative hāk. Based on an analysis of naturally occurring discourse, this study shows that the felicity of this generic demonstrative is subject to a number of constraints. First, the generic demonstrative hāk always occurs with a plural count or singular non-count noun and a restrictive modifier in order to denote a familiar (i.e., in memory) kind set. Second, the evoked kind set must be a relatively subordinate and atypical (i.e., less central) kind set in accordance with Rosch (1978) and Lakoff’s (1987) principles of categorization.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments vii
  4. Introduction ix
  5. Part I. Phonetics and phonology
  6. Incomplete phonetic neutralization 3
  7. Diminutive formation in a Libyan dialect with some phonological implications 31
  8. Diminutive and augmentative formation in northern Najdi/Ḥā’ili Arabic 51
  9. Post-lexical strata 75
  10. Part II. Sociolinguistics and pragmatics
  11. Destabilizing Arabic diglossia? 105
  12. Dialect contact in the Tunisian diaspora 135
  13. Speaker-oriented attitude datives as authority indexicals 159
  14. Generic expressions in Tunisian Arabic 181
  15. Part III. Language acquisition
  16. Palestinian Arabic dual formation in typically developing heritage speakers of Palestinian Arabic 207
  17. Interactions between temporal acoustics and indexical information in speech rate perception 235
  18. Index 263
Perspectives on Arabic Linguistics XXXI
This chapter is in the book Perspectives on Arabic Linguistics XXXI
https://doi.org/10.1075/sal.8.08kha

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments vii
  4. Introduction ix
  5. Part I. Phonetics and phonology
  6. Incomplete phonetic neutralization 3
  7. Diminutive formation in a Libyan dialect with some phonological implications 31
  8. Diminutive and augmentative formation in northern Najdi/Ḥā’ili Arabic 51
  9. Post-lexical strata 75
  10. Part II. Sociolinguistics and pragmatics
  11. Destabilizing Arabic diglossia? 105
  12. Dialect contact in the Tunisian diaspora 135
  13. Speaker-oriented attitude datives as authority indexicals 159
  14. Generic expressions in Tunisian Arabic 181
  15. Part III. Language acquisition
  16. Palestinian Arabic dual formation in typically developing heritage speakers of Palestinian Arabic 207
  17. Interactions between temporal acoustics and indexical information in speech rate perception 235
  18. Index 263
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