External Possession Meets Bare Nouns in Malagasy

This paper examines apparent noun incorporation in Malagasy that is the result of external possession (possessor raising). It is shown that such incorporation is not derived via head movement or via compounding. Instead, it is argued that this is an instance of pseudo noun incorporation (Massam, 2001): the possessum is merged as an NP sister to the predicate. As for the structure of external possession, a non-movement analysis is proposed: the apparent possessor is generated as the specifier of a null possessive head and binds an empty argument position within the possessum. The resulting structure and meaning are shown to be parallel to experiencer ‘have’ constructions in English

Or, \u3cem\u3eWh\u3c/em\u3e- and Not: Free Choice and Polarity in Malagasy

This paper explores the distribution of Free Choice Items (FCI) and Negative Polarity Items (NPI) in Malagasy. Both FCIs and NPIs in Malagasy are syntactically complex: they are expressed by disjunctions of wh-words. It is shown that this morphosyntactic structure directly reflects their semantics. In other words, FCIs and NPIs are semantically as well as syntactically disjunctive. Moreover, the Malagasy data support analyses of disjunction as a polarity sensitive element

Malagasy Clause Structure

This thesis explores the nature of voice in Malagasy, a language spoken in Madagascar. In chapter 2, it is claimed that different passives promote arguments from different structural positions. Evidence is provided for a particular position, [Spec, v2P], where a certain class of elements (“displaced themes”) may be generated. One particular passive, the aprefix, promotes to subject elements in this position. In chapter 3, arguments are presented in favour of a structural analysis of circumstantial topic (CT). CT morphology licenses all arguments of the verb. Due to a requirement that all clauses have a subject (the Extended Projection Principle), some element other than a DP structurally Case marked by the verb must raise to subject. Finally, chapter 4 addresses the left periphery in the Malagasy clause, in particular the structural positions of topic and focus. Dans cette thèse, il est question du statut de la voix en Malgache, langue parlée à Madagascar. Dans chapitre 2, il est avancé que des arguments différents montent à la position du sujet lorsque le verbe porte les différents affixes passifs. Certains arguments (des “thèmes déplacés”) peuvent être générés dans [Spec, v2P]. Si le verbe porte le préfixe a-, un argument généré dans [Spec, v2P] monte à la position du sujet. Dans chapitre 3, il s’agit d’une analyse structurale de la construction “circumstantial topic” (CT). La morphologie CT license tous les arguments du verbe. À cause du “Extended Projection Principle”, un élément sans cas structural doit assumer la fonction du suject. Dans chapitre 4, il est question de la périphérie gauche de la clause, en particulier, les positions “topic” et “focus”