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Title DETERMINER PHRASE IN PASHTO, URDU AND ENGLISH: A SYNTACTIC EXPLORATION INTO DP HYPOTHESIS

Author(s) Atta Ullah

Abstract Although genitive determiner phrase (DP) holds immense significance in a language, the structure of such phrases in Pashto and Urdu remains unexplored. This study is an attempt to analyze and compare the structure of genitive DP in English with the structure of genitive DP in two Pakistani languages, namely: Urdu, and Pashto with the help of X-bar theory. The theoretical framework selected for the study is DP hypothesis by Abney (1989). Fifty-four genitive DPs have been collected from the grammar books of the three selected languages through purposive sampling. Side by side analysis of DPs of the three selected languages is performed and the structure of the phrases of the selected languages is compared with each other. The findings of the study show that English demonstrates significant flexibility by employing both the of-genitive and construct genitive forms to express possession in simple and complex contexts; whereas, Urdu exhibits a more regulated use of possessive constructions. By utilizing both the of-genitive and construct genitive, Urdu predominantly relies on the use of ofgenitive, especially in longer or more complex phrases. Urdu's possessive markers align with number, gender, and case. Furthermore, Urdu employs postpositions, rather than prepositions, to denote possession, reflecting its unique syntactic structure. Pashto distinguishes itself by exclusively using the of-genitive structure for possessive constructions. It relies on prepositions and its minimalist syntax, marked by a null D' position in determiner phrases. Besides investigating an under-researched area, this study aims to foster cross-linguistic understanding by comparing the structure of DP in three selected languages. By exploring both the similarities and differences in DP structures across the three languages, the study seeks to promote a deeper understanding of linguistic diversity in general and syntactic diversity in particular.

Type Thesis/Dissertation

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Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2025-08-05

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