Aya Halabi

"This looks like a wild platonistic caprice strongly calling for Occam's razor. Language, however, seems to function that way."

My research centers on theoretical syntax and its interface with PF/Morphology. My work is driven by fundamental questions: What combinatoric rules exist in natural languages? How do these rules converge or diverge within Universal Grammar (UG)? How can cross-linguistic variation be accounted for? And what do these patterns reveal about the human capacity for language?
I am specializing in Semitic languages, particularly Arabic and its dialectal variation. Recently, I have developed an interest in studying Suret ([ˈsu:rɪtʰ] or [ˈsu:rɪθ]), also known as Assyrian, which encompasses the varieties of Northeastern Neo-Aramaic spoken by indigenous populations in Upper Mesopotamia (Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq).
The current objective of my research is to explore the extent to which syntax can be derived from interface properties, with a particular focus on PF-driven syntax. This involves investigating which internal syntactic devices might be redundant, as their effects may be independently accounted for at PF. My recent work has addressed these questions within the interaction between φ-agreement and case, and I am now extending this investigation within the framework of Copy Theory of Movement.
In addition to my research, I am committed to contributing to society through outreach. I focus on empowering minorities in academia, particularly women and students from underprivileged backgrounds. I am also involved in an initiative aimed at strengthening the educational sector in Gaza, which has been severely impacted by the recent war.