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Persian Complex DPs: How Mysterious Are They?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2016

Simin Karimi
Simin Karimi*
Affiliation:
University of Arizona
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Abstract

Persian complex DPs exhibit structural peculiarities with respect to the placement of the object marker for specific DPs and the position of embedded CPs. This article discusses these peculiarities as well as the internal structure of Persian complex DPs and the distribution of clitic pronouns in this language. It is argued that a base generation approach accounts more adequately for Persian and other languages that exhibit the following properties: lack of a wh-relative pronoun, presence of an invariant relative complementizer, and alternation between a gap and a pronoun representing the relativized head. Regarding the postverbal position of the embedded CP, it is argued that extraposition and VP-remnant face theoretical and empirical problems, while V-raising and XP movement, as instances of scrambling triggered by focus in this language, provide an adequate explanation for Persian data.

Résumé

Résumé

Les DP complexes en persan montrent certaines particularités structurales en ce qui concerne le placement du marqueur objet pour les DP spécifiques ainsi que la position des CP enchâssés. Cet article discute ces particularités et examine également la structure interne des DP complexes en persan et la distribution des pronoms clitiques dans cette langue. Il est proposé qu’une approche en termes de génération dans la base explique de façon plus adéquate le persan ainsi que d’autres langues qui partagent les caractéristiques suivantes: l’absence d’un pronom relatif, la présence d’un complémenteur relatif qui ne varie pas, et une alternance entre un élément non réalisé lexicalement et un pronom représentant la tête relativisée. En ce qui concerne la position post-verbale du CP enchâssé, il est démontré que des analyses en termes d’extraposition et de «VP-remnant» font face à des problèmes théoriques et empiriques, alors que le mouvement du V et le mouvement de XP, interprétés comme des occurrences de «scrambling» résultant de la mise en focus en persan, offrent une explication adéquate pour les données du persan.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 46 , Special Issue 1-2: The Syntax of Iranian Languages , June 2001 , pp. 63 - 96
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association 2001

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