Exploring interrogative elliptical structures with prepositional phrases in Arabic

Purpose This article is a comprehensive analysis of the current studies investigating elliptical questions (sluicing) with prepositional phrases in Arabic. Arabic strictly prohibits P-stranding in interrogative structure; however, it permits leaving out the preposition under sluicing. An analysis of sluicing with syntactic identity between antecedent and ellipsis site predicts that such examples to be ungrammatical in Arabic, which is not the case. This violates Merchant’s (2001) second form identity generalization. The most predominant view of this phenomenon in Arabic is analyzing it in terms of wh-movement in the ellipsis site, but with pre-sluices that are semantically but not necessarily syntactically identical to the antecedent. Current accounts reduce these examples to either wh-clefts, wh-resumption, function heads or repair by ellipsis mechanism. This paper does not aim to resolve the disputes on the source of sluicing with determiner phrase (DP) remnants that correlate with prepositional phrases in Arabic; rather, it is a comprehensive analysis of the current literature on Arabic. By bringing together various views on the topic, I hope to pave the way for a better understanding of the nature of elliptical questions with prepositional phrases to overcome the current theoretical impasse in the literature. Design/methodology/approach The design methodology approach in this study entails an exhaustive literature review on sluicing in Arabic, focusing on prepositional phrases. This study was based on peer-reviewed articles and conference proceedings sourced from reputable academic databases. The research was limited to studies published between 2011 and 2025, as no relevant studies were identified prior to 2011. The studies collected examined sluicing with DP remnants and PP correlates in Arabic, particularly within spoken Arabic dialects. All identified studies advocate a structural interpretation of sluicing, emphasizing the pre-sluice’s role as the origin of OPUS in the Arabic dialect under analysis. Findings This paper provides an intensive overview of sluicing with DP remnants corresponding to PP correlates across diverse Arabic dialects. Four prevailing perspectives on OPUS in Arabic endorse a structural approach to sluicing. The first perspective links OPUS to a cleft source, distinguishing between sluicing and pseudosluicing. The second perspective posits wh-resumption as an alternative explanation for OPUS. The third viewpoint advocates for a functional structure account, highlighting Najdi Arabic’s unique P-stranding features. Lastly, Emirati Arabic is associated with a repair by ellipsis mechanism. Each perspective is critiqued for its limitations. This study concludes that there is no consensus on the current status of OPUS in Arabic. Further inclusive studies are still needed. Research limitations/implications The proposed approaches currently hold for a specific Arabic dialect. A general, inclusive study is needed to determine the source of OPUS in Arabic sluicing. Originality/value This paper fills a critical gap by consolidating existing theories to shed light on the complexities of OPUS in Arabic, underscoring the necessity of such integration to advance understanding in this area. By offering a thorough examination of elliptical questions (sluicing) with prepositional phrases in Arabic, a domain where conventional linguistic expectations are challenged. It presents prevalent viewpoints attributing this to diverse mechanisms such as wh-clefts, wh-resumption, functional heads or ellipsis repairs. Rather than conclusively settling disputes, this study consolidates existing literature, aiming to foster a deeper understanding of Arabic sluicing with DP remnants and prepositional phrases, addressing theoretical impasses.