Word order and agreement in basic sentences in Arabic

Abstract EN

Recent developments in the generative transformational theory of syntax, known as the Minimalist Program, eliminated much of the theoretical constructs of earlier models.

The government module and Agr were among the areas that have been radically affected.

Since much of the work done on Arabic word order and agreement projected pre-minimalist models, the findings of such work must necessarily have been outdated.

In this paper I present a new analysis of word order and agreement in both verbal and non-verbal clauses in Arabic, taking into consideration recent developments in the theory.

In particular, I argue that the facts of word order and agreement in both verbal and non-verbal clauses are to be attributed t o t he a vailability o f t wo a Itemative T -nodes.

O ne T has number and strong N-features; the other is devoid of number and has weak N-features.

The former allows the derivation of clauses headed by subjects; the latter allows the derivation of clauses headed by predicates