A Phase-Based Approach to Uyghur Morphosyntax

Abstract

Research on the syntax-PF interface has highlighted strategies for forming words across languages, explored in Uyghur in Major et al. (2023), and how words are mapped in different components of the grammar, discussed in Fenger (2020) in relation to syntactic phases. This work applies the mechanisms of Fenger's theoretical proposal to Uyghur data from Major et al. (2023), and in doing so puts forth the argument that the locations of prosodic word boundaries conditioning morphophonological changes can be predicted by the presence of featurally marked phase heads in the narrow syntax. Specifically, it is argued that synthetic forms involving the past tense marker in Uyghur arise when there is no feature marking at the phase head Asp(ect), and periphrastic forms arise when there is marking at the Asp phase head, such as for the perfective participle. This work expands upon cross-linguistic work in word-formation strategies and provides evidence in favor of a strong correspondence between locality domains in syntax and phonology, specifically with respect to the prosodic word.