A Symmetric Approach to Agreement in Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) Direct Arguments
Kurmanji uses two morphological forms of pronouns and R-expressions: direct and oblique. The direct form of first and second pronouns (local pronouns) is fully specified for person and number. In contrast, direct third-person pronouns and R-expressions are unmarked; however, these arguments still ex...
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Razi University
2024-12-01
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| Series: | مطالعات زبانها و گویشهای غرب ایران |
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| Online Access: | https://jlw.razi.ac.ir/article_3319_3dff5e6fc05bf09f525df248e01e921f.pdf |
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| author | Iraj Mehrbaskhsh Gholamhossein Karimi -Doostan |
| author_facet | Iraj Mehrbaskhsh Gholamhossein Karimi -Doostan |
| author_sort | Iraj Mehrbaskhsh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Kurmanji uses two morphological forms of pronouns and R-expressions: direct and oblique. The direct form of first and second pronouns (local pronouns) is fully specified for person and number. In contrast, direct third-person pronouns and R-expressions are unmarked; however, these arguments still exhibit person and number agreement with verbs and number and gender agreement with Ezafe heads. There are two approaches to deal with direct unmarked arguments. In the asymmetric approach, these arguments are assumed to be fully specified for relevant φ-features, which are deleted at PF (Phonological Form) after agreement, whereas in the symmetric approach, they are merged as underspecified for relevant features and acquire their interpretation via agreement. Given the prevalence of unmarked arguments in Kurmanji, the symmetric approach is more economical and minimalistic, requiring fewer theoretical tools and computations. The present study shows that the key distinction between local pronouns and unmarked arguments lies in the specification of relevant φ-features. Direct unmarked arguments enter the derivation underspecified for these features, establishing a relation of ‘subset control’ in agreement and acquiring their interpretation by spreading features from the agreeing head at the LF (Logical Form) interface. This study also reveals that agreement in Ezafe constructions and pro-drop sentences also involve subset control and agreement is the only possible way to license φ-features, such as gender in inanimate arguments and person in R-expressions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-48208cf5ece44f65a14ec434e7598ecc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2345-2579 2676-573X |
| language | fas |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Razi University |
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| series | مطالعات زبانها و گویشهای غرب ایران |
| spelling | doaj-art-48208cf5ece44f65a14ec434e7598ecc2025-01-27T21:35:17ZfasRazi Universityمطالعات زبانها و گویشهای غرب ایران2345-25792676-573X2024-12-01124173210.22126/jlw.2024.11118.17953319A Symmetric Approach to Agreement in Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) Direct ArgumentsIraj Mehrbaskhsh0Gholamhossein Karimi -Doostan1PhD Student of Linguistics, Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Tehran University, Tehran, IranProfessor of Linguistics, Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.Kurmanji uses two morphological forms of pronouns and R-expressions: direct and oblique. The direct form of first and second pronouns (local pronouns) is fully specified for person and number. In contrast, direct third-person pronouns and R-expressions are unmarked; however, these arguments still exhibit person and number agreement with verbs and number and gender agreement with Ezafe heads. There are two approaches to deal with direct unmarked arguments. In the asymmetric approach, these arguments are assumed to be fully specified for relevant φ-features, which are deleted at PF (Phonological Form) after agreement, whereas in the symmetric approach, they are merged as underspecified for relevant features and acquire their interpretation via agreement. Given the prevalence of unmarked arguments in Kurmanji, the symmetric approach is more economical and minimalistic, requiring fewer theoretical tools and computations. The present study shows that the key distinction between local pronouns and unmarked arguments lies in the specification of relevant φ-features. Direct unmarked arguments enter the derivation underspecified for these features, establishing a relation of ‘subset control’ in agreement and acquiring their interpretation by spreading features from the agreeing head at the LF (Logical Form) interface. This study also reveals that agreement in Ezafe constructions and pro-drop sentences also involve subset control and agreement is the only possible way to license φ-features, such as gender in inanimate arguments and person in R-expressions.https://jlw.razi.ac.ir/article_3319_3dff5e6fc05bf09f525df248e01e921f.pdfkurmanjidirect argumentsagreementφ-features |
| spellingShingle | Iraj Mehrbaskhsh Gholamhossein Karimi -Doostan A Symmetric Approach to Agreement in Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) Direct Arguments مطالعات زبانها و گویشهای غرب ایران kurmanji direct arguments agreement φ-features |
| title | A Symmetric Approach to Agreement in Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) Direct Arguments |
| title_full | A Symmetric Approach to Agreement in Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) Direct Arguments |
| title_fullStr | A Symmetric Approach to Agreement in Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) Direct Arguments |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Symmetric Approach to Agreement in Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) Direct Arguments |
| title_short | A Symmetric Approach to Agreement in Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) Direct Arguments |
| title_sort | symmetric approach to agreement in kurmanji northern kurdish direct arguments |
| topic | kurmanji direct arguments agreement φ-features |
| url | https://jlw.razi.ac.ir/article_3319_3dff5e6fc05bf09f525df248e01e921f.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT irajmehrbaskhsh asymmetricapproachtoagreementinkurmanjinorthernkurdishdirectarguments AT gholamhosseinkarimidoostan asymmetricapproachtoagreementinkurmanjinorthernkurdishdirectarguments AT irajmehrbaskhsh symmetricapproachtoagreementinkurmanjinorthernkurdishdirectarguments AT gholamhosseinkarimidoostan symmetricapproachtoagreementinkurmanjinorthernkurdishdirectarguments |