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Ergativity And Transitivity In Paumarí, Desmond C. Derbyshire

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

From the introduction: "Paumarí, a Brazilian language belonging to the Arawaken family, has a split case-marking system of a type which, so far as I am aware, has not been previously reported. The ergative system occurs in clauses having the basic word order pattern, or in clauses where a significant part of the basic pattern is preserved. The nominative-accusative system occurs in clauses where other word orders are used. For the purpose of this paper, by "basic word order" I mean the pragmatically least marked and statistically most frequent order.

"Dixon (1979, 79-80) explains all split case systems in semantic …

Advancements To Direct Object In Chi-Mwi:Ni, Donald G. Frantz

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

No abstract provided.

Aztec Causative/Applicatives In Space Grammar, David H. Tuggy

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

From the introduction: "There are in Aztecan generally a number of verbal suffixes which function as causatives or as applicatives. (Applicatives often translate by "dative movement" structures in other languages.) Some of these suffixes are usually causatives, others are usually applicatives, but all function at times in both categories. All also function as verbalizing suffixes, mostly on nouns but often on adjectives and postpositions as well. in each case the suffix has a constant phonological shape and constant morphological properties such as position-class in the verb, conditioning of stem-formation rules, pattern of tense-formation, etc., which make it desirable to treat …

In Rhetoric The Passage From A To B Is Not Equal To Passage From B To A, Kenneth L. Pike

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

No abstract provided.

On The Variants Of Newari Vowels: A Study In Phonological Non-Alignment, Lindsay Criper Friedman, Tej Ratna Kansakar, Jyoti Tuladhar, Austin Hale

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

From the introduction: "Newari vowels display marked individualistic tendencies. There is a prominent asymmetry in the relation between long and short vowels in that there are six short vowels, /i, e, ā, a, o, u/, but eight long vowels, /ii, ee, ae, āe, aa, āā, oo, uu/. More interesting for this study, however, is the fact that no two of these vowels respond to exactly the same set of low level phonetic rules, or are influenced in manifesting one phonetic exponent or another by the same set of phonological environments. In this paper we explore these phonetic differences in the …

Typological Disharmony And Ergativity In Guajajara, Carl H. Harrison

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

From the introduction: "The purpose of this paper is to present some results of research on Guajajara (G), a Tupi-Guarani language of Northeast Brazil, with the hope of contributing some facts of interest to universal grammarians.

"Guajajara is unique in that due to its particular combination of morphological and syntactic traits, it is inconsistent in terms of commonly discussed typological parameters.

"Some features of interest are: 1. Double cross-referencing of core NPs. a. General accusativity in cross-referencing pronominal clitics attached to the end of the clauses. b. Mixed ergativity with accusativity in the cross-referencing pronominal verb prefixes.

2. Registration in …

Popoluca Evidence For Syntactic Levels, Benjamin F. Elson, Stephen A. Marlett

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

From the introduction: "A central claim of relational grammar (Perlmutter and Postal 19831, 198c, in press) is that sentences often involve more than one syntactic level. In this respect, relational grammar differs most notably from the majority of other current syntactic frameworks. We present evidence from Sierra Popoluca, a Mixe-Zoque language of Veracruz, Mexico, in support of this claim. The central evidence involves what has been called Possessor Ascension. The constructions for which we claim multilevel analyses are necessary are those which involve advancements to direct object, and Passive."

An Acoustic Study Of Northern Khmer Vowels, David D. Thomas, Wanna Tienmee

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

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Morphology And Syntax: Evidence From Quechua, David J. Weber

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

From the introduction: "Muysken argues from Quechua data for the separation of morphology and syntax. After quoting Pike's claim, "For the description of some languages it is not accurate or helpful to postulate a sharp morphology-syntax dichotomy." Muysken continues: "Here I would like to argue in detail that it is both accurate and helpful to postulate that dichotomy." (page 279) I intend to show that Muysken is wrong, that Quechua provides considerable evidence that morphology and syntax must be closely integrated, and that strictly separating them makes capturing certain regularities of the language--if not impossible--at least very difficult. I take …

Front Matter For Sil-Und Work Papers Vol. 27 (1983)

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

No abstract provided.

Front Matter For Sil-Und Work Papers Vol. 26 (1982)

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

No abstract provided.

On Coexistence And Convergence Of Two Phonological Systems In Michif, Donna Evans

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

From the introduction: "In this paper I will present some of the evidence that has been used to argue that Michif has two separate phonological systems. I will also present evidence demonstrating that convergence is occurring, particularly at the level of phonetically motivated rules."

Arawakan (Brazil) Morphosyntax, Desmond C. Derbyshire

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

From the introduction: "The purpose of this study is to present some of the major morphosyntactic characteristics of eight Arawakan languages spoken in Brazil. [...] The five areas of morphosyntax which are treated in tern in the following sections are: word order, case marking, verb morphology, coordination, and subordination. As will be seen in section 3, much of the morphosyntactic complexity of these languages is found in the verb, and certain phenomena that in other languages would be dealt with in other parts of the syntax are treated in that section, including: valence-changing devices such as causatives, passives and reflexives; …

Obviation In Michif, Deborah Weaver

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

Michif is a language growing out of the contact between Europeans and Native Americans, mostly French and Cree. Spoken by residents of the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota, as well as in parts of Canada, it has a noun phrase that is primarily French and a verb phrase and overall syntax that is primarily Cree.

This thesis examines the effect the loss of most Cree nouns has had on the proximate/obviative distinction usually found in Algonquian languages, of which Cree is one. This distinction is a cross-referencing system for identifying which of several third persons in a given context …

Initial And Non-Initial Indirect Objects In Spanish, J. Albert Bickford

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

From the introduction: "In this paper I survey various constructions in Spanish that involve indirect objects. I claim that many final 3's in Spanish do not head initial 3-arcs, in particular, those that appear in Causative Clause Union, in the Inalienable Possessor construction, in Inversion, and in constructions in which the final 3 is an initial Oblique.

"The analysis and discussion is carried on within the framework of Relational Grammar (Perlmutter, 1980, and to appear, a and b). I present an argument that because Relational Grammar posits initial syntactic relations that are distinct from both semantics and final syntactic relations, …

The Use Of Buglere Passives Illustrated From A Narrative Text, Judy Gunn

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

From the introduction: "The purpose of this paper is to describe the forms and functions of the passive construction in Buglere discourse. There seem to be two basic types of passive in Buglere."

Complexity And Constituent Order In Matihuaca (Huanuco) Quechua, Anne M. Stewart

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

From the introduction: "This study is the product of an investigation into Quechua sentence structure from the perspective of functional grammar. [...]

"LIPOC There is a Language Independent Preferred Order of Constituents (LIPOC) according to which constituents are preferably placed from left to right in increasing order of complexity (Dik 1978:192)

[...]

"LIPOC is used to explain word order in the following way. If the functional pattern of a sentence is compatible with LIPOC (i.e., if they predict the same order), then LIPOC has no effect; but if the functional pattern and LIPOC are at variance, the language is expected …

The Structure And Rhetorical Effect Of Seven Questions In Koine Greek, Peter E. Unseth

Theses and Dissertations

Most of the latest work in understanding Koine Greek questions has concerned itself with taxonomies based on the dichotomy between real and rhetorical questions, as epitomized by John Beekman and John Callow (1974). However, some are now pointing out that other factors, beyond the grasp of this taxonomy, enter into questions within conversations.

In an effort to look at these questions in more depth, this paper applies two analytical models to seven questions in Koine Greek. The first is the illocutionary force model, particularly as formalized by John Searle (1977). The second is the rules of Repartee as formulated by …

Word-Shortening In Southeastern Tepehuan, Elizabeth R. Willett

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a technical description of the phonological rules and processes of Tepehuan, with many examples in the practical orthography. By taking the position that vowel length and open syllables are underlying in SET, I predict accent placement on all forms. In addition, phonetic forms of stems are predicted by a set of rules coordinating with accent. This phonological system has the result of reducing the length of words and highlighting their accent centers.

All final single vowels drop; this reduces the length of the word by one syllable, and makes the penultimate syllable into a closed final syllable. …

The French Of The French Cree (Michif) Language, Mary J. Peske

Theses and Dissertations

French Cree is a language with a verb system based primarily on a Plains Cree dialect and with noun phrases stemming almost entirely from a French dialect or dialects. This study focuses on the French portion of the language and its historical origins. To determine these origins, phonological and semantic features that distinguish French Cree French from standard French are presented and compared with modern French of France and of Canada, archaic French dialects of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, and a few other North American French dialects. The considerable amount of literature dealing with the historical development of …

Marking Grammatical Relations In Southeastern Tepehuan, Thomas L. Willett

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes, from a Relational Grammar point of view, the usages of several verb suffixes of Southeastern Tepehuan that deal with the relationships among the central arguments of the predicate of a clause. The verb word in Southeastern Tepehuan contains all the information of tense, aspect, and mode, and is modified by adverbial elements of time, manner, and location. Nouns and pronouns can be used to identify one of the arguments; and conjunctions coordinate the resulting clause with, or subordinate it to, other clauses.

Only two affixes are used to denote person and number of the central arguments (terms) …

Advancements To Direct Object In Southeastern Tepehuan, Thomas L. Willett

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

From the introduction: "This paper seeks to justify a bistratal analysis for certain clauses in Southeastern Tepehuan (SET). In intransitive clauses (where the subject is the only nominal), or in transitive clauses where a direct object is also present, the account of subject and object agreement is straight forward. But in transitive clauses where a notional indirect object or benefactee is present as well, these are advanced to the status of direct object; they replace the initial direct object and determine object agreement on the verb. In section 1 I give the pertinent facts about term marking and show that …

Front Matter For Sil-Und Work Papers Vol. 25 (1981)

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

No abstract provided.

A Course In Basic Grammatical Analysis, John P, Daly, Larry Lyman, Mary Rhodes

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

From the preface: "The purpose of this material is to give the beginning student the means to analyze the basic grammatical structures of previously unanalyzed languages. No former study of a foreign language or prior linguistic training is presupposed. In conjunction with practice in problem solving, the lessons guide the beginning student in doing basic grammatical analysis and prepare him for applying in a field situation the grammatical concepts he has acquired.

"The theory on which this course is based is Standard Transformational Grammar with some modifications and differences in emphasis. The standard theory facilitates grammatical descriptions which are abstract …

The Completive And Potential Form Of Chichicapan Zapotec Verbs, Joseph P. Benton

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

From the introduction: "The phonological changes associated with the potential and completive aspects in Zapotecan languages have been traditionally analyzed suppletively (Butler 1980, Pickett 1960). In this paper I examine suppletive and nonsuppletive analyses of the potential and completive aspects of Chichicapan Zapotec, hereafter ChZ. I show that a nonsuppletive analysis of the facts of ChZ is more insightful than a suppletive one."

Noun Phrase Components In Southeastern Tepehuan, Elizabeth R. Willett

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

From the introduction: "My purpose in this study is to explore ways in which speakers of Southeastern Tepehuan talk about persons, places and things, the semantic notions generally associated with nouns. Although in English we are accustomed to expressing such ideas as quantity, quality, orientation, or possession of an item with a noun phrase, we cannot assume that in other languages semantic categories will always correspond to the expected syntactic categories as we know them in English. For instance, in Southeastern Tepehuan adjectival ideas are always expressed as predicates. On the other hand, some surface dependent clauses which at first …

The Double Accusative In Koine Greek: A Syntactic Study, Terrell A. Malone

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents an analysis of the double accusative in Koine Greek within the framework of relational grammar theory as developed by Perlmutter and Postal. Monostratal and multistratal grammars are compared. Various kinds of evidence, including flagging of predicate dependents case function, passivization, gapping, question-word movement, indefinite relativization and parallel structures are used to argue that multistratal grammar more adequately and concisely accounts for the syntactic behaviour of the double accusative nominals than does a monostratal grammar. It is proposed that indirect object advancement, oblique advancement, subject ascension, and a combination of causative union plus indirect object advancement all can …

A Grammatical Sketch Of Berik, Peter N. Westrum

Theses and Dissertations

This paper is a grammatical sketch of the Berik language based on language data gathered while living with the Berik people in Irian Jaya, Indonesia. The levels of the grammatical hierarchy described are words, phrases, clauses, and sentences. The tagmemic model has been used as the model for analysis

Words, isolatable units which cannot be further divided into "free" forms, are divided into classes which are distinguished from one another according to principles of affixation.

Phrases consist of at least one obligatory tagmeme with one or more marginal tagmemes whose fillers are typically words. Several different phrase types are identified. …

Sentence Components In Southeastern Tepehuan, Thomas L. Willett

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

From the introduction: "In a complement paper on the Southeastern Tepehuan clause structure (Willett, this volume), the semantic and surface types of basic predications were discussed. The present paper begins to explore the inter-clausal relations of minimal locutionary and illocutionary force. It surveys the semantic and syntactic sentence types with primary reference to grammatical relations.

"The semantic propositional structures, along with their modal parameters and other semantic prosodies are discussed in Section 1. Then the basic syntactic forms of sentences and their related grammatical elements are outlined in Section 2, along with a mapping of the set of semantic sentence …

The Antigone Constraint, David H. Tuggy

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

In this paper I will present a class of sentences that certain syntactic rules of English would be expected to produce, but which are ungrammatical. These sentences all involve the raising of a sentential NP and the subsequent application of some syntactic rule fo that sentential NP. To explain the ungrammaticality of these sentences, I propose a constraint called the Antigone Constraint, which prohibits two-storey rules from applying to clauses which have been raised.