Abstract
In this paper, we compare and contrast two competing hypotheses with respect to the structure of âDegree Phrase (DegP) in Persian comparative adjectival constructions in the light of Moazzamiâs ââ(2006) analysis of the Ezafe construction in this language. Arguing against Kennedyâs (1999) âproposal, according to which DegP as a independent syntactic object takes the AP as its âcomplement, we show that data from Persian support the hypothesis proposed by Jackendoff ââ(1977), Hellan (1981), Heim (1985), McCawley (1994), and Hazout (1995), among others, under âwhich the DegP is merged in the Spec AP and takes a prepositioanal phrase headed by "az" (than) âas its complement. We propose that the head Deg bears a strong uninterpretable feature [Adj] and âabsorbs the adjective to check and delete it in overt syntax.â
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