The Structure of the Bangla DP

Dicusses structure and distribution of noun phrases in South Asian languages, especially in Bangla carried out from 1995 to 1999 at University College London with Rita Manzini and Neil Smith, successfully defended in April 1999.

Bangla WH
(September to December 1999 jointly with Andrew Simpson of SOAS, University of London)

The view that Bangla is an SOV, wh in-situ language is challenged and the work claims that Bangla actually has obligatory overt wh-movement from a basic SVO word order. This is disguised by a conspiracy of factors but revealed in restrictions on wh scope and certain apparently optional word order possibilities with complement clauses. Adopting a different perspective on the SOV status of Bangla allows for a simple explanation of the patterns observed and raises the possibility that other south Asian languages may also have overt wh-movement.

Directionality and Typology
(At the Graduiertenkolleg "Universalität und Diversität", University of Leipzig, Jan 2000- Sept 2001)

Other Work:

 Home