Topicilazation and Focalization in Persian

Abstract

This article provides a syntactic analysis of Topicalization and Focalization processes in Persian within the framework
of minimalist syntax. According to Haegeman and Gueron’s Split CP Hypothesis (1999), Topicalization is a recursive process
and can apply to more than one constituent in a sentence, while Focalization is unique and therefore appears in a single
projection. In this paper we argue that in Persian more than one constituent might undergo focalization. This implies that
Focalization cannot be unique. Thus, we first propose two Focal Phrases in the periphery position of a clause. The specifier
positions of the two Focal phrases are the landing sites of the focused constituents. Then we suggest the relative position of
focal phrases with topic phrases in Persian. It will be concluded that the first focus phrase appears immediately after the
complementizer phrase before the first recursive topic phrase followed by the second focus phrase and recursive topic phrase
respectively.