International Journal of Language & Literature

Wh-Movement in Najrani Arabic
Faraj Ahmed Al-hamami, Hassan Obeid Alfadly

Abstract
Many studies attempted to account for wh- movement from a purely syntactic point of view. This study intends to do an idiosyncratic investigation of the wh-movement in Najrani Arabic within the current version of generative syntax as presented in Chomsky‟s 1993 and 1995 Minimalist Program. The study reveals that the wh-phrases have the option either to move to the front position of a sentence or remain in-situ in both transitive and intransitive construction except for the subject wh-argument „min‟ only in intransitive construction. The [+WH] feature is the trigger of the movement which is obligatorily motivated by EPP. Finally, an alternative wh-movement account for Najrani is applied which involves overt wh-movement, and this idea‟s proof comes from island effects as wh-phrases in Najrani Arabic are sensitive for the island constraints (wh-island, and complex NP island).

Full Text: PDF      DOI: 10.15640/ijll.v6n1a15