Question particles in Basque
Monforte, Sergio (Universidad del País Vasco)

Date:	2018
Abstract:	This article proposes separate analyses for the question particles -a and al in Basque, which occur only in polarity questions, within the framework of Generative Grammar. I will propose that the former one, used in the eastern dialects, is the head of FiniteP and that the latter one, used in the central dialects, occupies the head of Particle Phrase located between TP and the CP field. I provide the following evidence in support of this dual analysis: 1) -a can be used with ote but no other particle can appear at the same time with al; 2) al is compatible with allocutivity but -a is not; 4) and, finally, al can be used in embedded clauses, whereas -a cannot. The fact that -a is not allowed to occur in indirect questions and that it is incompatible with the allocutive verbal paradigm shows that it is in complementary distribution with the head of CP and, therefore, that -a occupies such a head; on the other hand, the impossibility of al to appear with other particles suggest that they must occur in the same position and, since it can appear in embedded questions and with allocutive forms, it does not occupy the head of the CP, but the head of a phrase below.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Syntax ; Question particles ; Morphology ; Microvariation
Published in:	Isogloss, Vol. 4 Núm. 1 (2018) , p. 29-53 (Articles) , ISSN 2385-4138

Adreça original: https://revistes.uab.cat/isogloss/article/view/v4-n1-monforte
Adreça alternativa: https://raco.cat/index.php/isogloss/article/view/352305
Adreça alternativa: https://raco.cat/index.php/isogloss/article/view/v4-n1-monforte
DOI: 10.5565/rev/isogloss.48

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