Cartographic architecture of DP

Abstract

Abstract This article argues that DP in Hail Arabic is dominated by a C-domain, with C-layers, adducing empirical evidence from C-particles that interact with DP-internal material, ʔektɪn marking Topic and zad marking Contrastive Focus. Analyzing Construct State phenomenon, it is shown that ʔektɪn exclusively marks the possessum N. The possessor DP is marked without a C-particle. The mechanism of topicalizing the possessor DP is via co-indexation with a clitic φ-agreeing with the possessor DP, spelled out on the possessum N, where the possessum N functions as Lexical Strategy. Lexical Strategy though is not an option to topicalize the possessum N; the possessor DP cannot host a clitic that φ-agrees with the possessum N. Merger of ʔektɪn is thus motivated on morphological grounds. HA syntax instantiates a C-layer above DP, materialized by ʔektɪn which φ-agrees with the possessum N, what I term Functional Strategy. Further, a C-layer encoding Contrastive Focus headed by C-particle zad and a C-layer headed by the Shifting Topic C-particle ʕad, both of which mark by movement of the CS-internal constituent, merge above DP and co-occur with ʔektɪn. Within the backbones of the Cartographic approach, this phenomenon provides evidence that the DP architecture in HA is ripe for Split-DP analysis.