Multiple Determiners in Magahi: DP Structure and the Complex N

Abstract

The paper, describing the fact that definiteness cannot be treated on par with the phi-features, suggests a pragmatic-oriented approach towards the phenomenon of multiple determiners in Magahi. It is a linguistic strategy to make the reference deictically (spatially and temporally) available in the context. The paper, providing the pragmatic justification for the phenomenon, argues in favour of a mixed structural account whereby the predicate raising, and split-DP are taken into account. The paper provides both structural and semantics justification for the predicate rising analysis, as the additional determiner on the adjective has the function of both relativizer and nominalizer. Following Julien [29] and Compos & Stavrou [14], FP projection is assumed to host the head /-kɑ/ which agrees with the lower N in nominal features like gender and number. To take account of the complexity of the initial derivation of N in Magahi, a classifier language, an nP in Julien's [29] spirit is adopted with modification. A DP is also projected to host the nominal tense feature and strong referentiality. The proposed analysis captures the existing possible conflation within the NP and introduces a new kind of discussion in the literature through the novel data.