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This paper discusses possessor sub-extraction in Indonesian, Javanese and Madurese, and its implications for phase-based A-bar extraction of nominals. I show that possessors may extract from their possessive DPs and occur at the left edge of the clause. I argue that the suffix that occurs on the possessum (Indonesian-nya, Javanese-ne, Madurese-Nah) is the pronunciation of the functional head D rather than a pronominal possessor or resumptive pronoun. While the extraction of verbal arguments has been well studied in Indonesian languages, possessor subextraction provides a novel set of data that contributes to the discussion on the relationship between voice and nominal extraction. In these languages, voice morphology on the verb must reflect extraction of a low nominal, whether a verbal argument or a possessor. This pattern shows that the functional head Voice regulates A-bar extraction of all nominals that begin in the complement of the verb: the extracted nominal undergoes successive-cyclic movement through the edge of DP, then the edge of VoiceP, before landing in its surface position in CP. This movement is marked by morphological wh-agreement in the nominal and verbal domain. Possessor extraction thus has implications for theories of nominal extraction, phases and clause structure in Indonesian-type languages.

Abstract. This paper examines possessor extraction in three Indonesian-type languages: Indonesian, Javanese and Madurese. I show that possessor extraction patterns are best captured under an analysis in which the possessor undergoes movement from an internal possession structure to the left periphery of the clause; the possessum remains in an A position, while the possessor occurs in an A' position. Possessor movement is subject to general constraints on DP movement in each of these languages, and the voice system determines the ability of the possessor to extract. I discuss implications for the relationship between voice and DP extraction, and conclude that in Indonesian-type languages, voice determines both A and A' movement of any DP moving from within VoiceP.