On the structure of b- and raħ as future markers in Najdi Arabic

Abstract

Tense is a cross-linguistic category that is typically expressed within the verb complex. It can be realized in verb forms/inflections, auxiliaries, particles, or any tense markers that are structurally related to the verb. Tense in general can relate the proposition, statement, action, event or whatever expressed by the verb to three main types of tense: past, present, and future. The aim of this paper is to investigate the underlying linguistic properties of the markers of the latter type of tense in one of the Arabic varieties: Najdi Arabic (NA). The paper mainly focuses on describing the linguistic properties of b- and raħ as future makers in NA. In addition to describing their relevant linguistic properties, the paper attempts to account for these properties using the theory of Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG). The paper also offers a comparison of the NA future markers b- and raħ and their counterparts in Standard Arabic and sheds light on the similarities and differences between them.