On Plurals, noun phrase and num(ber)
in Moroccan Arabic and Djibouti Somali
In this paper, we focus on plural nouns in two Afroasiatic languages: Moroccan Arabic and Djibouti Somali. Within a syntactic approach to word formation, we show that not all plurals are located in the same syntactic position. In Moroccan Arabic, one plural results from the merger of a root with the head n, whereas the other realizes a feature on the number head. In a similar way, Somali displays two suffixal plurals, which realize two distinct syntactic structures. One suffix is associated to numP and behaves as a regular plural suffix; in contrast, the other suffix is analyzed as a bound root that selects for xPs (nP or numP) containing the feminine gender.
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Cited by
Cited by 2 other publications
Jaradat, Abdulazeez
2023.
Branching lexical plural into greater and paucal.
Cogent Arts & Humanities 10:1
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