Erlewine, Michael Yoshitaka and Carly J. Sommerlot, 2023.
“Voice and extraction in Malayic.”
Manuscript, University of Helsinki and National University of Singapore.
In many Malayic languages (western Austronesian), subjects can undergo A’-movement without any special qualification, whereas non-subject nominals can only A’-move if the verb appears without a voice prefix. We propose a novel account for the syntax of voice alternations in Malayic languages that explains this extraction restrictions. In particular, we argue that the restriction on non-subject extraction and voice morphology is best explained by the Cyclic Linearization theory of phasehood (Fox & Pesetsky 2005) and a particular organization for the verbal phase. The proposal is motivated by our original data on voice and extraction in Suak Mansi Desa, a previously undescribed Malayic language of West Kalimantan, which we then successfully extend to Standard Indonesian and Standard Malay as well as various other dialects and languages of the region.