Exploring Malay Structures: Variation and Interpretation

This project investigates how Malay sentences are structured and interpreted within Generative Grammar, an approach that examines the underlying rules and principles of language (Adger, 2003; Carnie, 2021; Chomsky, 2015). Candidates will investigate selected grammatical patterns, evaluate alternative structural analyses and develop explanations grounded in Malay language data. Their research will contribute to our understanding of Malay syntax, with opportunities to inform approaches to Malay grammar teaching and learning.

I welcome prospective PhD students interested in developing a focused investigation within one of the following three research areas.

a) Deletion and Null Elements

How can a Malay sentence convey a complete interpretation when some of its elements are not pronounced? This research area examines selected constructions involving unexpressed subjects, objects, predicates or other constituents. Candidates may investigate the conditions under which these elements can remain unexpressed and how their interpretation relates to grammatical structure and discourse context. Possible topics include null subjects and objects, reduced responses and predicate ellipsis. A central concern is whether a selected pattern involves syntactic structure that is present but unpronounced, a silent pronominal element or another grammatical dependency. Candidates may examine antecedent requirements, structural parallelism, binding and interpretive contrasts, where applicable, to distinguish competing accounts. The goal is to explain the representation, licensing and interpretation of a clearly defined pattern of non-expression (Holmberg, 2016; Koeneman & Zeijlstra, 2017; van Craenenbroeck & Temmerman, 2019).

b) Interrogative / WH Constructions

How are questions formed in Malay, and what determines the positions and interpretations of question expressions? This research area investigates the structure of selected WH-questions or yes/no questions, including the relationship between question formation, word order and grammatical marking. Candidates may examine WH-expressions that remain in their ordinary sentence positions or appear at the beginning of a clause, the distribution of question particles such as -kah, and the grammatical conditions governing dependencies within and across clauses. Relevant questions include how interrogative patterns differ from corresponding declarative constructions, which syntactic and morphosyntactic properties permit or restrict particular patterns, and how these properties contribute to interpretation. The goal is to develop an empirically supported account of a manageable set of Malay interrogative constructions (Adger, 2003; Carnie, 2021; Holmberg, 2016; Radford, 2016).

c) Complementation and Complementizer Realisation

How are embedded clauses integrated into Malay sentence structure, and what determines whether a complementizer is overtly expressed or remains unpronounced? This research area examines the relationship between predicates, their clausal complements and the functional structure associated with embedding.

Candidates may investigate selected predicates and complement types, the distribution of overt complementizers such as bahawa, and constructions in which no complementizer is pronounced. Research may test whether the absence of an overt complementizer reflects optional non-pronunciation, a syntactically required absence or a different type of complement structure. Comparisons may consider predicate selection, subject expression, word order and interpretive contrasts. The goal is to explain how the organisation of embedded clauses constrains complementizer realisation and to evaluate the evidence for alternative structural accounts (Adger, 2003; Carnie, 2021; Chomsky, 2015; Radford, 2016).

Important Note

1. The topics listed above are not exhaustive. Prospective PhD candidates are welcome to propose their own research ideas.
2. Candidates are strongly encouraged to contact potential supervisors at least 3 months before the application deadline, as the process of identifying a suitable supervisor and preparing a research proposal may require time.

When you email Assistant Professor Ahmad Syafiq Amir bin Abdullah Zawawi, please:

1. Introduce yourself and send your curriculum vitae
2. Share about your academic background
3. Provide information on your research interests and how it is aligned with this project
4. And how you hope to achieve your PhD aspirations

Minimum Entry Requirement

• A Bachelor's degree with honours at least at Second Class Upper level, Master's degree in the relevant areas and the ability to pursue research in the candidate's proposed field of advanced study.
• Shortlisted applicants will undergo an interview session as part of the selection process.
• A valid GRE score is required for applicants who are not graduates of the Autonomous Universities in Singapore. See detailed requirements for English language on competency and GRE requirements here.

Funding Notes

Prestigious scholarships offered by the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) allows outstanding PhD students to pursue their research endeavours at a world-class university. At NTU, we recognize academic excellence and research potential that will help you focus on making groundbreaking discoveries in your field.

For Scholarships and Awards:

References

• Adger, D. (2003). Core syntax: A Minimalist approach. Oxford University Press.
• Carnie, A. (2021). Syntax: A generative introduction (4th ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
• Chomsky, N. (2015). The Minimalist Program (20th anniversary ed.). MIT Press.
• Holmberg, A. (2016). The syntax of yes and no. Oxford University Press.
• Koeneman, O., & Zeijlstra, H. (2017). Introducing syntax. Cambridge University Press.
• Radford, A. (2016). Analysing English sentences (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
• Tallerman, M. (2025). Understanding syntax (6th ed.). Routledge.
• van Craenenbroeck, J., & Temmerman, T. (Eds.). (2019). The Oxford handbook of ellipsis. Oxford University Press.