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Binominals in Äiwoo: Compounds, possessive constructions, and transitional cases

  • Åshild Næss
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Abstract

This paper discusses the strategies used for the formation of binominal lexemes in the Oceanic language Aiwoo, and the semantic properties associated with the different strategies. The strategies include compounds in which the elements may be independent or bound, as well as various constructions involving possessive marking; the semantic principles differentiating between the various available constructions include relationality, control over the relation, and animacy of the possessor. Moreover, the paper shows how reanalysis of certain constructions may lead to new types or transitional cases, such as bound nouns in compounds acquiring classifier-like properties, or person-marked prepositions being accreted onto nouns as bound possessive marking. The paper also discusses the status of so-called indirect possessive constructions within a typology of binominal constructions and suggests that there may be more to learn about binominal typology by examining in greater detail cases where possessor indexing plays a central role in the formation of binominals.

Abstract

This paper discusses the strategies used for the formation of binominal lexemes in the Oceanic language Aiwoo, and the semantic properties associated with the different strategies. The strategies include compounds in which the elements may be independent or bound, as well as various constructions involving possessive marking; the semantic principles differentiating between the various available constructions include relationality, control over the relation, and animacy of the possessor. Moreover, the paper shows how reanalysis of certain constructions may lead to new types or transitional cases, such as bound nouns in compounds acquiring classifier-like properties, or person-marked prepositions being accreted onto nouns as bound possessive marking. The paper also discusses the status of so-called indirect possessive constructions within a typology of binominal constructions and suggests that there may be more to learn about binominal typology by examining in greater detail cases where possessor indexing plays a central role in the formation of binominals.

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