Wh-Movement in Najrani Arabic

Abstract

Many studies attempted to account for wh-movement from a purely syntactic point of view. This study intends to do an idiosyncratic investigation of the wh-movement in Najrani Arabic within the current version of generative syntax as presented in Chomsky"s 1993 and 1995 Minimalist Program. The study reveals that the wh-phrases have the option either to move to the front position of a sentence or remain in-situ in both transitive and intransitive construction except for the subject wh-argument "min" only in intransitive construction. The [+WH] feature is the trigger of the movement which is obligatorily motivated by EPP. Finally, an alternative wh-movement account for Najrani is applied which involves overt wh-movement, and this idea"s proof comes from island effects as wh-phrases in Najrani Arabic are sensitive for the island constraints (wh-island, and complex NP island).