2006b). Categorial Status of Persian Class 2 Prepositions

In this talk I present an analysis of the prepositional system in Persian and the properties of the spatial prepositions in the different classes. I argue that Persian Class 2 prepositions are a part of the extended PP structure rather than true nouns. Background: Traditionally Persian prepositions are divided in two main groups. The classifying criterion is provided by their ability or inability to take the Ezafe linking morpheme when followed by a Ground complement. Ezafe is a linking morpheme that appears on [+N] word classes to indicate relationship between sub-constituents of a NP. In Persian it is phonologically realized as an unstressed-e attaching to words ending in a consonant. The allomorph-ye attaches to words ending in a vowel. In general, Ezafe appears on nouns, pronouns and adjectives followed by a modifier and in possessive constructions. However, the majority of Persian prepositions have the Ezafe linker before the noun or pronoun they take as complement. With respect to which ones take Ezafe Persian prepositions are divided in the following two classes