Long-Distance Agreement in Urdu Infinitival Clauses: A Syntactic Analysis

Abstract

The aim of the current is to investigate long-distance agreement (LDA) in Urdu infinitive clauses specifically emphasizing on DPs case licensing, agreement, and movement, employing Bošković’s model (2003, 2006, 2007). Previous studies articulated that long-distance agreement (LDA) is mediated by case-driven in long-distance movement, short distance movement in diverse range of languages including Hindi Urdu, Kashmiri, and Tsez to the clause edge, thereby enabling agreement across domains. Such outcomes established a close link between case and agreement, with movement providing the structural configuration necessary for agreement. Employing qualitative research design, Urdu demonstrates a different pattern in infinitival clauses as in Urdu, they are structurally reduced (vP/VP rather than CP/TP), which blocks accessibility for agreement under the Phase Impenetrability Condition (PIC). Consequently, matrix verbs, seskha and passand and auxiliaries, hai, license ergative or accusative case but fail to establish φ feature agreement with embedded infinitival or the object DPs. On the other hand, move could theoretically circumvent PIC utilizing successive cyclic movement, the Urdu instances show that such movement is not activated, blocking agreement. These findings deviate from previous Hindi Urdu accounts that reveal the LDA triggered by embedded objects and instead support Bošković’s (2007) distinction: Agree is locality bound and blocked in reduced clauses, while Move offers a potential escape route that remains unused in Urdu nonfinite structures. This study contributes to the broader theoretical debate by representing that Urdu gives strong empirical evidence for phase theory while showing heterogeneity in agreement.