Analyzing Yorùbá Bare Nouns as DP

Abstract

This paper examines count nouns in Yorùbá and makes the claim that such nouns are bare (cf. Ajiboye 2005). Structurally, it proposes that the nouns are to be analyzed as Noun Phrases (NPs) that are contained inside a Determiner Phrase (DP) which is headed by a null Determiner (D). The claim is supported by both empirical and theoretical evidence.