A syntactic study of WH-Movement in Egyptian Arabic within the Minimalist Program
Since Chomsky (1964) and Ross (1967), wh-movement has received considerable attention in the literature. One of the cross-linguistic phenomena that has appeared in recent works on wh-movement is the issue of optionality - a situation whereby languages allow both wh-movement and wh-in-situ strategies. This thesis aims to investigate the syntax ofwh-questions in one of the optional wh-movement languages, namely, Egyptian Arabic (henceforth EA). It examines whfronting and wh-in-situ strategies which the grammar of EA employs to form whquestions. The theoretical framework within which this study is conducted is the Minimalist Program (henceforth MP) as proposed and developed by Chomsky (1995). The major claim of this study is that EA is mainly a wh-in-situ language whereby wh-phrases are interpreted and assign scope in their base-generated (i.e. in situ) positions. I propose that EA wh-phrases carry weak [wh] features, hence they cannot be attracted to the C-domain. This is why wh-movement of the English type does not take place. The only movement involved in the derivation of the whquestions in situ is the covert movement of a functional category (an operator) which carries the [wh] feature. Thus, wh-phrases
Gad, Rehab Farouk Gad Alsayed
A syntactic study of WH-Movement in Egyptian Arabic within the Minimalist Program. Since Chomsky (1964) and Ross (1967), wh-movement has received considerable attention in the literature. One of the cross-linguistic phenomena that has appeared in recent works on wh-movement is the issue of optionality - a situation whereby languages allow both wh-movement and wh-in-situ strategies. This thesis aims to investigate the syntax ofwh-questions in one of the optional wh-movement languages, namely, Egyptian Arabic (henceforth EA). It examines whfronting and wh-in-situ strategies which the grammar of EA employs to form whquestions. The theoretical framework within which this study is conducted is the Minimalist Program (henceforth MP) as proposed and developed by Chomsky (1995). The major claim of this study is that EA is mainly a wh-in-situ language whereby wh-phrases are interpreted and assign scope in their base-generated (i.e. in situ) positions. I propose that EA wh-phrases carry weak [wh] features, hence they cannot be attracted to the C-domain. This is why wh-movement of the English type does not take place. The only movement involved in the derivation of the whquestions in situ is the covert movement of a functional category (an operator) which carries the [wh] feature. Thus, wh-phrases
syntactic study wh_movement egyptian arabic within minimalist_program since chomsky ross wh_movement receive_considerable_attention literature cross_linguistic phenomenon appear recent_work wh_movement issue optionality situation whereby language allow wh_movement situ strategy aim_investigate syntax questions optional wh_movement language namely egyptian arabic henceforth examines situ strategy grammar employ form theoretical_framework within study_conduct minimalist_program henceforth propose develop chomsky major claim study mainly situ language whereby interpret assign scope base generated situ position propose carry weak feature hence attract domain wh_movement english type take_place movement involve derivation situ covert movement functional_category operator carry feature thus