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Abstract

In this paper I examine the relationship between auxiliary copular insertion, copular allomorphy, and the nominalization of clauses in North Azeri (Turkic). I argue that in North Azeri an auxiliary copula is inserted at T0 whenever an aspect head blocks V0 to T0 movement. However, allomorphy of the copula obscures the consistency of this morphosyntactic process. I argue that the allomorphy of the copula in North Azeri is conditioned by the features of T0, but that in some contexts, including nominalized clauses where T0 is defective, this conditioning does not occur. I claim that “ol” is the elsewhere form of the copula triggered in such circumstances, which also happens to be the form of the verb “become,” resulting in ambiguity in some contexts.

Faculty Supervisor

Claire Halpert

Author Bio

Colin Davis graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in Linguistics in 2014, and at the time of this work is applying to graduate school. His general research interests are morphosyntax and head-final / Altaic languages. He can be reached at: davi1390@umn.edu

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