the present study investigates azari-turkish wh-words within the framework of minimalism. the analysis of wh-in-situ data shows that [+q] &ki;/kïparticle are syntactically in complementary distribution in azari-turkish. when a wh-word is bound by [+q] in c-position, it is interpreted as interrogative element. if, on the other hand, the wh-word is bound by ki/kïparticle which appears in c-positi...

This paper attempts to investigate word order and verbal movement in Moroccan Arabic the Minimalist framework. We observe that unmarked MA is SVO while derived structure VSO. follows an English-like derivation where subject moves from [Spec, vP] TP] whilst verb v T. raises issue of when it comes VSO languages have as underlying order. To derive VSO, we propose T Focus based on pragmatic reasons...

In this paper, we present data from three Norwegian dialect types, NOR-1, NOR-2 and NOR-3, which differ with respect to the verb second (V2) requirement in wh-questions: NOR-1 (represented by Standard Norwegian) requires V2 in all main clauses, NOR-3 (represented by the Nordmøre dialect) lacks this requirement in all wh-questions, while NOR-2 (represented by the Tromsø dialect) lacks the requir...

The present paper reports an analysis of correct wh-question production and subject-auxiliary inversion errors in one child's early wh-question data (age 2;3.4 to 4;10.23). It is argued that two current movement rule accounts (DeVilliers, 1991; Valian, Lasser & Mandelbaum, 1992) cannot explain the patterning of early wh-questions. However, the data can be explained in terms of the child's knowl...

This paper provides evidence for an analysis of subject inversion in whquestions in Spanish and demonstrates that techniques of experimental syntax play an important role in developing such analyses. The techniques used show that there is gradience in judgments of wh-questions depending on the nature of the filler and of the intervening subject. The facts fall out from the interplay of straight...

In this study, we used the splitscreen preferential looking paradigm to test 13-, 15-, and 20-month-olds’ developing understanding of simple matrix what-questions of the forms “What hit the X?” (subject-question) and “What did the X hit?” (objectquestion). Infants responded appropriately to subject-questions by 15 months of age, and to both subjectand object-questions by 20 months. At no age di...

It is well-known that young children may omit referential subjects regardless of whether they are acquiring a pro-drop language such as Italian or a nonpro-drop language such as English. The classic proposal of Hyams (1986) according to which these early null subjects instantiate pro in both types of languages has recently come under attack from various sides. Bloom (1990, 1993) and Valian (199...

Hearing loss during the critical period for language acquisition restricts spoken language input. This input limitation, in turn, may hamper syntactic development. This study examined the comprehension, production, and repetition of Wh-questions in deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. The participants were 11 orally trained Hebrew-speaking children aged 9.1-12.4 with moderate-to-profound hea...