The Definite Article in Swahili
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University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
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This paper contributes to the debate on whether or not Swahili
nominals have overt determiners to qualify for DP analysis. It has been
concluded in some circles that Swahili nominals are not amenable to
DP analysis for lacking determiners – definite articles. It is assumed in
this paper that what appear to be articleless DPs in Swahili are
underlyingly headed by the D node which always remains empty except
in cases when D is occupied by the prenominal demonstratives base
generated in a lower position inside the DP structure. The strongest
evidence in Swahili comes from asymmetries between prenominal and
postnominal demonstratives whereby the prenominal demonstratives
are said to be anaphoric and postnominal demonstratives deictic.
Assuming that the prenominal demonstrative is base generated below
D, the conclusion must be that the demonstrative appears in the
prenominal position following the raising.
Keywords
Swahili nominals, DP analysis, definite article, articleless DPs, prenominal demonstratives, postnominal demonstratives, DP structure