A parallel corpus-based exploration of deflected agreement in Arabic varieties

Abstract

Agreement in modern Arabic varieties exhibits much variation despite sharing similar features, such as feminine singular (deflected) agreement with plural controllers. The presence of deflected agreement has been attributed both to retention (Bettega and D’Anna 2022) and to a process of loss and reborrowing from Modern Standard Arabic (Al-Sharkawi 2014; Versteegh 1984}. Using evidence from a multi-dialectal parallel corpus, I argue that neither of these accounts adequately explains the variation present in the dialects. This study highlights the need to understand the language-specific changes in modern Arabic varieties and the utility of parallel corpora for exploring morphosemantic variation.