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A new argument for existence of the DP in languages without articles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2019

DAVID ERSCHLER
DAVID ERSCHLER*
Affiliation:
Ben Gurion University of the Negev
*
Author’s address: Ben Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israelerschler@bgu.ac.il
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Abstract

In this squib, I provide evidence of a novel type in favor of the existence of the DP in previously undiscussed articleless languages: I show that a comitative preposition in the Ossetic languages cannot attach to nominal expressions that would be analyzed as DPs in better studied languages. On the other hand, nominal expressions that it can attach to are of the kinds that would be analyzed as bare NumPs.

Keywords

determiner phraseDigor OsseticIranianIron Osseticlanguages without articles
Type
Notes and Discussion
Information
Journal of Linguistics , Volume 55 , Issue 4 , 01 November 2019 , pp. 879 - 887
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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Footnotes

I am grateful to Arbilana Abaeva, Tsara Dzhanaev, Aslanbek Kasaev, Elizaveta Kochieva, Andzhela Kudzoeva, Fedar Takazov, and other Ossetic speakers too numerous to list whose judgments are utilized here. I thank Kyle Johnson, Mark Norris, and three anonymous reviewers for their comments to earlier versions of the squib. Thanks also to Olga Kagan and Rajesh Bhatt for discussions.

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