On State and Case in Berber: A Typological Perspective

The Berber system of nominal marking – known as the annexed vs. free state alternation – is one of the most researched aspects of the phylum’s morphosyntax. While the surface properties of the two states are well-understood, there still exists no consensus on their precise function(s). In this paper, I consider the issue from a typological perspective and show that the Berber state alternation is better analysed as a marked nominative case marking (following König and Aikhenvald). I focus specifically on three arguments that are often used in Berber scholarship to dismiss the case analysis and defend other types of hypotheses: (i) the peculiar behaviour of nominal states with some quantifiers; (ii) the fact that some direct objects can be marked in the same way as subjects; and (iii) the lack of case agreement on attributive adjectives. Based on cross-linguistic data and theories, I argue that these arguments do not actually challenge a marked nominative case analysis, but rather support it.