Explanation of the Phrasal Compounds in Persian Using Distributed Morphology and Applying Harley’ (2008) and Siddiqi’ (2009) Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Omolbanin Khazaei ¹
• shoja Tafakkori rezayi ²
• Nahid Eslamihonar ¹
• Hedi Mardokhi ¹

¹ PhD Candidate in Linguistics, Razi University of Kermanshah, Kermanshah, Iran.

² Associate Professor in Theoretical Linguistics, Razi University of Kermanshah, Kermanshah, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22067/jlkd.2024.88954.1257

Abstract

This research studied phrasal compounds in Persian using Distributed Morphology and applying Harley (2008) and Siddiqi’s (2009) approach. The aim was to determine the existence of phrasal compounds in Persian and explain their structure within the distributed morphology. The results revealed that there are two kinds of phrasal compounds in Persian. The first one holds [S + NP]_N or [N/A + NP]_N/A phrasal compounds and the second one has [N/A + PP]_N/A structure. In Persian a phrasal compound can occupy the non-head position of another phrasal compound. This can illustrated by such examples as “بادمجان­دور­قاب­چین” and “دست­از­جان­شسته” which in turn confirm Pafel’s (2017) idea. The results also showed that phrasal compounds in Persian are made in zero derivation level of Harley (2008), so that a noun-maker or an adjective-maker functional head is incorporated into a syntactic group by affixation, and based on the specific context and according to Pafel’s (2017-2015) input-output rule, they are turned into a noun or an adjective. Finally, it was shown that phrasal compounds in Persian have NN or AN structures. The data os this study which were extracted by the writers and using Tabatabaei (2008) confirmed the DMs specific belief that morphological operation is done within the syntactic component.

Keywords

• Phrasal Compound
• Distributed Morphology
• Zero Derivation Level
• Input-Output Rule
• Persian Language

Main Subjects

• Syntax

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