A Minimalist Approach to Passives with Complementizers, ʔan, inna and kana in Standard Arabic

Abstract

In this paper, we argue that the three complementizers ʔan, inna and kana come with passive constructions in Standard Arabic (SA henceforth). ʔan comes in embedded clauses and is followed with a VS order, whereas inna and kana come in main clauses and are followed with an SV order. We assume that verbs enter the derivation with an unvalued (passive) feature. Also, we assume that a Voice °head with an unvalued (passive) feature and the passive infix as its specifier should be introduced to the derivation of the passive construction in which a probe-goal syntactic relationship is established between the verb and the Voice° head. This relation triggers the move of the verb from V to Voice° head for two reasons, to value its unvalued (passive) feature and to pick up the passive infix. Further we assume that T in main clauses with inna and kana carry [+V] feature which triggers the move of the verb not the DP to T. Unlike main clauses, the embedded clause with ʔan carries no [+V] feature and thus the DP moves from VP complement to [Spec, TP]. Finally, we claim that the complementizers ʔan, inna and kana assign case to the elements that directly follow them.