Gapping: A New LFG Approach

This paper discusses gapping in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and analyzes this phenomenon through the lexical-functional grammar (LFG) framework. It argues against previous analyses of nonconstituent coordination in LFG, including those proposed by Maxwell & Manning (1996) and Frank (2002) and her followers. The main problem with those analyses is that they violate one of the well-formedness conditions in LFG, which requires the functional structure (f-structure) to be coherent. Therefore, the paper provides a new analysis of gapping in LFG, in which the deleted verb in the second conjunct is analyzed as a null verb that has a PRED value and that indicates the tense in its local clause.

Download Full-text

Shared Arguments in Modern Standard Arabic

International Journal of English Linguistics ◽

10.5539/ijel.v8n1p164 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 164

Author(s):

Yasir ALotaibi

Keyword(s):

Functional Grammar ◽

Modern Standard Arabic ◽

Lexical Functional Grammar ◽

Standard Arabic ◽

Verb Phrases ◽

Null Argument ◽

Shared Arguments ◽

Modern Standard ◽

Coordinate Structures

This paper discusses shared arguments in coordinate structures in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). It assumes that a shared argument between two conjuncts can be a subject or an object. The paper uses the lexical-functional grammar (LFG) framework for analyzing this kind of structure. In LFG, the two possible analyses for similar structures involve analyzing the shared argument as bearing two functions in the two conjuncts. The first analysis is the split analysis, where the shared argument is zipped to both conjuncts by assuming that the verb phrases in both conjuncts are split. The second analysis is function spreading, in which the function of the shared argument is spread from one conjunct to another. This paper argues that the previous analyses in LFG have faced some problems in accounting for this phenomenon in MSA. To solve these problems, this paper contributes a new analysis for shared arguments that involves analyzing the missing argument, whether it is a subject or an object, as a null argument.

Download Full-text

Depictives: An LFG Approach

International Journal of English Linguistics ◽

10.5539/ijel.v9n3p188 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 188

Author(s):

Yasir Hameed Alotaibi

Keyword(s):

Syntactic Analysis ◽

Functional Grammar ◽

Modern Standard Arabic ◽

Accusative Case ◽

Lexical Functional Grammar ◽

Standard Arabic ◽

Verbal Noun ◽

Modern Standard

The main aim of this paper is to discuss two issues in analyzing depictive constructions. The first issue is related to Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), where there is an overlap between depictives and adverbs. This paper distinguishes between depictives in MSA, where the word in accusative case is adjective and adverbs, where the word in accusative case is a verbal noun. The second issue that is discussed in this paper is the syntactic analysis of depictives. In this regard, we contribute a new analysis within the Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) framework, in which depictives are analyzed as single adjuncts that modify participants in the main predicate in the same way as adjectives, when they function as modifiers, do.

Download Full-text

The Analysis of Verbless Sentences

International Journal of English Linguistics ◽

10.5539/ijel.v9n6p226 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 226

Author(s):

Yasir Hameed Alotaibi

Keyword(s):

Functional Grammar ◽

Modern Standard Arabic ◽

Transformational Grammar ◽

Lexical Functional Grammar ◽

Standard Arabic ◽

Modern Standard ◽

Verbless Sentences

This paper aims to discuss the analysis of verbless sentences in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) within the Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) framework. It discusses the previous analyses in transformational grammar and shows some problems in these analyses, arguing that LFG is more flexible and able to analyze this kind of sentences with fewer problems. This paper argues that verbless sentences in MSA should be divided into two types: the first is when the second part of a verbless sentence is an adjective, and in this type, we argue that the adjective should be analyzed as a predicate within the single-tier analysis. The second type is verbless sentences that contain a nonadjectival complement, and this type is analyzed as containing a null copula within the double-tier analysis.

Download Full-text

The effects of motivation on processing instruction in the acquisition of Modern Standard Arabic gender agreement

Instructed Second Language Acquisition ◽

10.1558/isla.34879 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 61-82

Author(s):

Ayah Farhat ◽

Alessandro Benati

Keyword(s):

Academic Motivation ◽

Processing Instruction ◽

Gender Agreement ◽

Modern Standard Arabic ◽

Language Background ◽

Standard Arabic ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Sentence Level ◽

Post Test ◽

Modern Standard

The present study investigates the effects of motivation and processing instruction on the acquisition of Modern Standard Arabic gender agreement. The role of individual differences (e.g. age, gender, aptitude, language background and working memory) on the positive effects generated by processing instruction has been investigated in the last few years. However, no previous research has been conducted to measure the possible effects of motivation on L2 learners exposed to processing instruction. In addition, a reasonable question to be addressed within the processing instruction research framework is whether its positive effects can be generalised to the acquisition of Modern Standard Arabic. The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) and the Attitude Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) motivation questionnaires were used to capture different variables that influence motivation in order to create the two different groups (high and low motivated). In this experimental study, forty-one native English school-age learners (aged 8–11) were assigned to two groups: ‘the high motivated group’ (n = 29): and the ‘low motivated group’ (n = 12). Both groups received processing instruction, which lasted for three hours. Sentence-level interpretation and production tasks were used in a pre-test and post-test design to measure instructional effects. The learners were required to fill in gaps in both written and spoken mode for the activities. The study also included a delayed post-test administered to the two groups four weeks later. The results indicated that both groups improved equally from pre-test to post-test in all assessment measures and they both retained the positive effects of the training in the delayed posttests. Processing instruction was proved to be the main factor for the improvement in performance regardless of the learner’s level of motivation.

Download Full-text