Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Can [Sonorant] Spread?, Kenneth S. Olson, Paul H. Schultz

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

This paper presents empirical evidence for the spread of the feature [sonorant], based on data from Bilaala (Nilo-Saharan, Chad). The analysis assumes that this feature is a dependent of the root node rather than part of the root node (as previously assumed). An alternative analysis, involving the spread of the feature [nasal], is shown to be inferior to one in which [sonorant] spreads.

The Structural Status Of Bora Classifiers, David J. Weber

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

I claim that Bora classifiers have the structural status of (bound) nouns, based on facts like the following:

• Some classifiers also occur as independent nouns (possibly with minor phonological differences).
• Classifiers have the referential properties typical of nouns. Like typical nominals, they denote classes of objects and may refer to a member of the class they denote. They are never used to attribute properties to another referring expresssion.
• Classifiers have the distribution typical of nouns: they may be a clausal subject, they may be modified by a relative clause, they may have a prepositional complement, and so forth.

And classifiers …

Writing Gojri: Linguistic And Sociolinguistic Constraints On A Standardized Orthography For The Gujars Of South Asia, Wayne E. Losey

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

This study presents descriptions of the phonology and morphology of the two major dialects of Gojri spoken in Pakistan, and compares them with the Gojri spoken in Punch District of Indian-administered Kashmir. In light of this comparative data and the implications for Gojri-to- Urdu literacy, it evaluates various orthographic conventions currently used by leading writers and institutions. It explores Urdu-based spellings which are linguistically sound and otherwise conducive to transitional literacy, and which lend themselves to orthographic standardization across the east-west dialect continuum. It also includes an extended treatment of the challenge of representing Gojri tone.

This study will provide …