Variable embedded agent in Sason Arabic

The paper investigates the syntax and semantics of an indirect causative construction, ‘make’ causatives, in Sason Arabic with a focus on the syntax of the embedded structure and the status of the implicit embedded agent. On the basis of several diagnostics, the study demonstrates that ‘make’ embeds...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of linguistics Vol. 57; no. 2; pp. 233 - 277
Main Author AKKUŞ, FARUK
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.04.2021
Subjects
Ambiguity
Arabic language
Causative constructions
Embedded constructions
Licensing
Literary devices
Morphology
Ontology
Pro drop parameter
Semantics
Syntactic structures
Syntax
Sason Arabic
causative
Voice
implicit arguments
free variable
Online AccessGet full text
ISSN0022-2267
1469-7742
DOI10.1017/S0022226720000493

Cover

More Information
Summary:The paper investigates the syntax and semantics of an indirect causative construction, ‘make’ causatives, in Sason Arabic with a focus on the syntax of the embedded structure and the status of the implicit embedded agent. On the basis of several diagnostics, the study demonstrates that ‘make’ embeds an agentive VoiceP, which also manifests an active-passive alternation despite the absence of any morphological reflex. Regarding the nature of the implicit embedded agent, the paper argues that it is present as a free variable à la Heim (1982) generated on the Voice head itself. In so doing, it adds to the ontology of null arguments as well as suggesting that licensing of a grammatical object is dissociated from the projection of a specifier.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 14
ISSN:0022-2267
1469-7742
DOI:10.1017/S0022226720000493