Bengali Noun Phrase complex: A minimalist approach

Abstract

In this article, we show, following the Minimalist approach, how features like definiteness and specificity are checked either through Probe-Goal or through overt movement to different projections situated in the left periphery of Noun Phrase complex (NPC) constituated of, as we suggest, the NP itself and the traditonal DP split into four different projections: Deixis Phrase, Determiner Phrase, Classifier Phrase and Quantifier Phrase. At the end of this article we point out some of the limitations of this approach and show how they can be handled in the Substantivist or similar approaches.

Key words: Definiteness, Specificity, Deixis, Classifier, Quantifier, Substantive

DOI: 10.3329/dujl.v1i2.3717

 The Dhaka University Journal of Linguistics: Vol. 1 No.2 August, 2008 Page: 67-86