Studies in Semitic Syntax

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

I. TRANSFORMATIONAL GRAMMAR. A BRIEF OVERVIEW.

1. Looking At Other Linguists´ Theories

II. A STUDY OF SEMITIC SYNTAX

1. ANALYZING FASSI-FEHRI`S THEORY

1.1. How Are Words Formed In Arabic?

1.1.1. Summary

1.2. Word Order In Arabic

1.2.1. S-V-O versus V-S-O

1.2.2. Case Assignment

1.2.3. The EPP

1.3. Summary

2. SHLONSKY`S APPROACH

2.1. The Order Of Inflectional Elements In Hebrew And Arabic

2.1.1. Imperfectivity In Hebrew And Arabic

2.2. Word Order In Hebrew

2.2.1. Negation And Word Order In Arabic

- The ‘laa’ Negation

- The ‘laysa’ Negation

- The ‘maa’ Negation

2.3. Summary

III. CONCLUSION

Research Objectives and Topics

This work aims to examine how the syntactic theory of Transformational Grammar, primarily developed for Indo-Germanic languages, applies to Semitic languages, specifically Arabic and Hebrew, by investigating linguistic parameters of variation.

• Application of Transformational Grammar to Semitic syntax.
• Comparative analysis of word order (V-S-O vs. S-V-O) in Arabic and Hebrew.
• Investigation of case assignment and morphological processes in Arabic word formation.
• Evaluation of subject positions and the Extended Projection Principle (EPP).
• Study of clausal negation structures in Arabic.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

INTRODUCTION: The work outlines the application of Transformational Grammar to Semitic languages and the aim to understand how Arabic varies from Indo-Germanic models.

I. TRANSFORMATIONAL GRAMMAR. A BRIEF OVERVIEW.: This chapter introduces the foundational rules of Transformational Grammar, including X-bar theory, the Projection Principle, and levels of syntactic representation.

II. A STUDY OF SEMITIC SYNTAX: This central section analyzes the syntactic structures of Arabic and Hebrew, specifically focusing on Fassi-Fehri's word formation and clause structure, and Shlonsky's approach to inflection and negation.

III. CONCLUSION: The author summarizes the findings, emphasizing that differences between Arabic and Hebrew are rooted in parametrized principles within the framework of Transformational Grammar.

Keywords

Transformational Grammar, Semitic Syntax, Arabic, Hebrew, V-S-O, S-V-O, Word Order, Case Assignment, Agreement, AgrP, Negation, EPP, Syntax, Morphology, Minimalist Program

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this linguistic research?

The work investigates the syntactic structure of Semitic languages, specifically Arabic and Hebrew, using the principles of Transformational Grammar to explain linguistic variation.

What are the central topics covered in the book?

The book covers word order (V-S-O versus S-V-O), case assignment, subject positions (EPP), morphological word formation, and clausal negation in Arabic and Hebrew.

What is the primary research goal?

The goal is to determine the parameters along which Arabic differs from languages like English and to analyze how standard syntactic theories apply to the Semitic language family.

Which linguistic methods are employed?

The work utilizes the framework of Transformational Grammar, including X-bar theory, the analysis of Deep and Surface Structure, and the study of head movement and case theory.

What does the main body address?

The main body examines the specific analyses of linguists Abdelkader Fassi-Fehri and Ur Shlonsky, covering the licensing of word orders, agreement types, and the syntactic derivation of negative sentences.

Which keywords best characterize this work?

Key terms include Transformational Grammar, Semitic Syntax, V-S-O, S-V-O, Case Assignment, Agreement, and Negation.

How does Fassi-Fehri explain word formation in Arabic?

Fassi-Fehri argues against purely lexical word formation, proposing instead that words are formed in the syntax by raising heads to satisfy morphological and syntactic requirements.

What role does the 'Agreement' (Agr) parameter play in word order?

The research concludes that word order is licensed by the specification of Agr; rich Agr triggers subject raising to [Spec,IP] (S-V-O), while poor Agr triggers V-S-O structures.

How is the Negation system in Arabic classified?

Shlonsky classifies negation into 'laa', 'laysa', and 'maa' types, demonstrating how these elements move from Neg° to T° and AgrS° to interact with the verb's features.

What is the conclusion regarding the EPP in Arabic?

The author concludes that the Extended Projection Principle (EPP) in its universal form does not strictly apply to Arabic, as the [Spec,AgrP] position is not always necessarily generated.