8 Number in West Circassian
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Irina Bagirokova
Abstract
This chapter describes the expression of number in West Circassian, a polysynthetic language of the Northwest Caucasian family. In West Circassian, nouns contrast between non-specific deficient forms undefined for number, unmarked forms which usually - but not always - express the singular meaning, and forms which explicitly mark plurality (either by a simple plural affix or by a cumulative case-number suffix). Notably, the plural morphology attaches both to count nouns and to mass nouns, sometimes triggering various semantic shifts. The contexts where a form without a plural marker may have plural denotation include not only nominals with non-specific reference but also possessives and non-locutor definite pronominal phrases. Number can also be expressed by a dedicated associative plural suffix (whose use is however severely restricted) and by indexing outside the noun whose use has a predominantly semantic basis. The language further displays some minor constructions, such as the honorific use of indexing, a dyadic construction based on reciprocal morphology, and a pattern close to inclusory constructions.
Abstract
This chapter describes the expression of number in West Circassian, a polysynthetic language of the Northwest Caucasian family. In West Circassian, nouns contrast between non-specific deficient forms undefined for number, unmarked forms which usually - but not always - express the singular meaning, and forms which explicitly mark plurality (either by a simple plural affix or by a cumulative case-number suffix). Notably, the plural morphology attaches both to count nouns and to mass nouns, sometimes triggering various semantic shifts. The contexts where a form without a plural marker may have plural denotation include not only nominals with non-specific reference but also possessives and non-locutor definite pronominal phrases. Number can also be expressed by a dedicated associative plural suffix (whose use is however severely restricted) and by indexing outside the noun whose use has a predominantly semantic basis. The language further displays some minor constructions, such as the honorific use of indexing, a dyadic construction based on reciprocal morphology, and a pattern close to inclusory constructions.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Contents v
- List of authors ix
- 1 Number in the World’s Languages: Configuring the variation space 1
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I Africa
- 2 Number in Eastern Dan 27
- 3 Number marking in Karko and Nilo-Saharan 63
- 4 Number in Tswana 107
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II Europe and Middle East
- 5 Number in Arabic 131
- 6 Number in Occitan 167
- 7 Number in Slovenian 187
- 8 Number in West Circassian 261
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III Northern Eurasia
- 9 Number in Ket (Yeniseian) 307
- 10 Number in Nganasan 351
- 11 Number in Nivkh 375
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IV Pacific and Australia
- 12 Number in Gooniyandi 427
- 13 Number in Indonesian 457
- 14 Number in Japonic Family 505
- 15 Number in the Languages of the Lower Sepik Family 529
- 16 Number in Marori 577
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V Americas
- 17 Number in the languages of South America 609
- 18 The category of number in Kakataibo (Panoan) 671
- 19 Grammatical simplexity: Number in Kiowa 693
- 20 Number in Mohawk (Iroquoian) 729
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VI Further perspectives on linguistic diversity
- 21 Contact languages: A survey 767
- 22 Number in Russian Sign Language 805
- 23 Number in grammar: results and perspectives 833
- Terms 911
- Languages and language families 917
- Authors 927
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Contents v
- List of authors ix
- 1 Number in the World’s Languages: Configuring the variation space 1
-
I Africa
- 2 Number in Eastern Dan 27
- 3 Number marking in Karko and Nilo-Saharan 63
- 4 Number in Tswana 107
-
II Europe and Middle East
- 5 Number in Arabic 131
- 6 Number in Occitan 167
- 7 Number in Slovenian 187
- 8 Number in West Circassian 261
-
III Northern Eurasia
- 9 Number in Ket (Yeniseian) 307
- 10 Number in Nganasan 351
- 11 Number in Nivkh 375
-
IV Pacific and Australia
- 12 Number in Gooniyandi 427
- 13 Number in Indonesian 457
- 14 Number in Japonic Family 505
- 15 Number in the Languages of the Lower Sepik Family 529
- 16 Number in Marori 577
-
V Americas
- 17 Number in the languages of South America 609
- 18 The category of number in Kakataibo (Panoan) 671
- 19 Grammatical simplexity: Number in Kiowa 693
- 20 Number in Mohawk (Iroquoian) 729
-
VI Further perspectives on linguistic diversity
- 21 Contact languages: A survey 767
- 22 Number in Russian Sign Language 805
- 23 Number in grammar: results and perspectives 833
- Terms 911
- Languages and language families 917
- Authors 927
