AGREEMENT PATTERNS WITH THE NOUNS NAS AND ALAM IN DAMASCUS ARABIC

Ramos, CB (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: This paper examines the agreement patterns with the controllers nas and alam in Damascus Arabic, a question not yet thoroughly studied. The collective nature of these nouns allows two kinds of agreement: strict agreement in the plural and deflected agreement in the feminine singular. The analysis focuses on the variation between strict and deflected agreement, especially as regards semantic and pragmatic factors, and also the morphological structure of the targets. The study is synchronic and based on data collected in the capital of Syria, Damascus. It is divided into two main sections: the first analyzes target-related factors, including target type, word order, and distance; the second focuses on controller-related factors, including quantification, qualification, reflexibility, specificity, and definiteness. In recent years numerous studies on agreement have been conducted and they indicate parallels among different varieties of Arabic, but such studies mainly address non-human controllers. The results of the present study show a prevalence of strict agreement with the nouns nas and alam. Target type is a key factor in determining the kind of agreement, with distance between controller and target also being important. In line with previous studies, variation in agreement is closely connected to the controller''s degree of individualization or collectivity as perceived by the speaker, who ultimately chooses which kind of agreement to use.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.30827/meaharabe.v70i0.15152

Año: 2021

Publicado en: Miscelánea de estudios árabes y hebraicos. Sección árabe-Islam 70 (2021), 3-31
ISSN: 1696-5868

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Estudios Arabes Islámicos (Dpto. Lingüíst.y Liter.Hispán.)