The Syntax of Arabic

A guide to Arabic syntax covering a broad variety of topics including argument structure, negation, tense, agreement phenomena, and resumption.

Joseph E. Aoun (Author), Elabbas Benmamoun (Author), Lina Choueiri (Author)

9780521659864, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 3 December 2009

258 pages
22.7 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.42 kg

Recent research on the syntax of Arabic has produced valuable literature on the major syntactic phenomena found in the language. This guide to Arabic syntax provides an overview of the major syntactic constructions in Arabic that have featured in recent linguistic debates, and discusses the analyses provided for them in the literature. A broad variety of topics are covered, including argument structure, negation, tense, agreement phenomena, and resumption. The discussion of each topic sums up the key research results and provides new points of departure for further research. The book also contrasts Standard Arabic with other Arabic varieties spoken in the Arab world. An engaging guide to Arabic syntax, this book will be invaluable to graduate students interested in Arabic grammar, as well as syntactic theorists and typologists.

1. Issues in the syntax of Arabic
2. Clause structure in Arabic
3. The syntax of subjects
4. Sentential agreement
5. The syntax of sentential negation
6. Modes of interrogation
7. Restrictive relatives
8. Clitic left dislocation and focus constructions
9. The syntax of the Arabic left periphery.

Subject Areas: Grammar, syntax & morphology [CFK], Linguistics [CF]