Abstract

This paper investigates the syntactic structure of so-called genitive-possessive DPs in Uyghur, a Turkic language. Uyghur genitive-possessives bear suffixes on both the “possessing” entity (comparable to the Saxon genitive ’s in English) and the “possessed” one. The suffix on the “possessor”, -ning, is considered a genitive case marker; the suffix on the “possessed” has multiple allomorphs and is considered an agreement marker that agrees in person and number with the “possessor”. Based on the multiplicity of semantic roles that the “possessing” object may bear, and the observation that it may be dropped from the DP, an analogy is made between genitive-possessive DPs and finite TPs. It is proposed that “possessors” behave in a manner parallel to that of subjects of TPs: they are introduced by a quasi-functional head n or within a gerund, and raise to [Spec,DP] to receive genitive case from D. The agreement suffix, on the other hand, is treated as the phonological realization of an Agr head that is introduced with unvalued phi-features, features which are valued when the “possessing” entity passes through the specifier of AgrP. Adopting this structure can explain data on the realization of definiteness in genitive and non-genitive DPs, and the distribution of adverbials within gerunds.

Highlights

  • One of the key components to a theory of noun phrase structure is an explanation of how possessive marking is carried out within the DP

  • Turkic languages present an interesting case with regards to DPs, since they include what are called “genitive-possessive” constructions: both the possessor and the possessed objects bear affixes

  • This paper addresses that issue in one Turkic language, Uyghur, which is spoken in western China and Central Asia

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Summary

Introduction

One of the key components to a theory of noun phrase structure is an explanation of how possessive marking is carried out within the DP. A theory of English DPs owes an explanation of where the ’s comes from in phrases like “John’s book”, and how case-checking is done in such a phrase. Turkic languages present an interesting case with regards to DPs, since they include what are called “genitive-possessive” constructions: both the possessor and the possessed objects bear affixes. In these languages, DPs must have the proper apparatus to produce not just one, but two morphological realizations of possession.

Morphological marking and agreement
Semantic roles and the interpretation of “possession”
Distribution of DP-subjects and suffixes
Case checking and agreement marking in genitive-possessives
Case checking
Agreement marking
Argument-selecting nouns
Conclusion
Full Text
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