My research areas revolve around Syntax, Morphology (morphosyntax), and the typology of Berber languages. I work mainly on the grammar of an under-studied Berber language (Tarifit) spoken in northern Morocco. On the theoretical side, I work within the Generative/Minimalist tradition. One of the main aims of my research is to establish how grammar can be explicitly modelled to produce a precise, empirically well-motivated description or analysis with theoretical significance.

My active research program on Berber linguistics includes Noun inflection and the structure of the Noun Phrase, the syntax of copulas, the Construct State, word order (especially the VSO system), clitics, and causatives. This has led to numerous publications in various Journals (see ‘Publications’ section). Part of my research on Berber focuses on the syntax-morphology interface. More specifically, my research aims to contribute to the debate of whether Morphology is an independent component of grammar or part of the Syntax, as advocated by Distributed Morphology. In many of my research activities/publications, I have argued for the latter based on various aspects of Berber grammar where I show that morphology and syntax are intimately intertwined.

Currently, I am affiliated with the University of Newcastle (Australia) where I coordinate linguistic courses at the Centre for English and Foundation Studies. Previously, I coordinated various courses including ‘Syntax’, ‘Language and Mind’, ‘Bilingualism and Bilingual Education’, and ‘Phonology & Morphology’ in the Department of Linguistics at the same university. Before that, I also taught courses in general linguistics at the University of Queensland, Australia.