The syntax of possessive-də in Mehri

Abstract

This paper describes the structural derivation of possessive-də construction in Mehri. Based on the phase-based analysis, our argument is two-fold. First, we argue that this construction is a clause-like structure containing a single phase; the head of which is Poss. This functional head Poss, which is overtly marked by də- ‘of’, is a head that initiates a possession relation between possessed and possessor. Second, unlike previous analyses, we claim that such a construction in Mehri is a Default State because both nouns can have (in)definiteness feature. Moreover, both nouns cannot occur as bare elements as well as cannot linearly be adjacent. Structurally, the possessed occupies [Spec, PossP] position, while the possessor occupies the complement of Poss. Therefore, this functional head is active probe looking for a goal in its proper checking domain. This makes the possessor more local goal to the head Poss than the possessed as it locates in a similar search domain, thus satisfying phase impenetrability condition. Regarding case licensing, the possessor is covertly licensed by a genitive case only, while the possessed can appear in any case depending on its syntactic position. This way, a phase-based theory provides simple and straightforward explanation to possessive-də construction in Mehri.