12 Pilagá directionals and the typology of associated motion
-
Alejandra Vidal
Abstract
Pilagá (Guaycuruan) has fourteen directional verb suffixes that code location, spatial configuration, and deictic and non-deictic path. The directionals also sometimes have applicative and some associated motion (am) functions. This study focuses on the am function of the deictic directionals -ge(ʼ) ‘itive’ and -get ‘ventive’ and on the non-deictic directional -ege ‘opposite’. The extent to which an am meaning is evident with these directionals depends on a combination of communicative pragmatics and the lexical root semantics. The system is technically vague as to whether an am is interpreted as prior to, or simultaneous with the action of the lexical verb. Am targets an intransitive S or a transitive O argument, thus displaying absolutive alignment. This is counter to Guillaume’s (2016) prediction that if an O can be interpreted as undergoing am, then subjects (both A and S) can also be so interpreted. Part of the explanation for the Pilagá absolutive pattern may be the conflation of am with an applicative function.
Abstract
Pilagá (Guaycuruan) has fourteen directional verb suffixes that code location, spatial configuration, and deictic and non-deictic path. The directionals also sometimes have applicative and some associated motion (am) functions. This study focuses on the am function of the deictic directionals -ge(ʼ) ‘itive’ and -get ‘ventive’ and on the non-deictic directional -ege ‘opposite’. The extent to which an am meaning is evident with these directionals depends on a combination of communicative pragmatics and the lexical root semantics. The system is technically vague as to whether an am is interpreted as prior to, or simultaneous with the action of the lexical verb. Am targets an intransitive S or a transitive O argument, thus displaying absolutive alignment. This is counter to Guillaume’s (2016) prediction that if an O can be interpreted as undergoing am, then subjects (both A and S) can also be so interpreted. Part of the explanation for the Pilagá absolutive pattern may be the conflation of am with an applicative function.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
-
Part I: Perspectives and general issues
- 1 Introduction: associated motion as a grammatical category in linguistic typology 3
- 2 A cross-linguistic survey of Associated Motion and Directionals 31
- 3 Serial verb constructions and motion semantics 87
- 4 Associated motion and directionals: where they overlap 129
- 5 Deictic directionality as associated motion: motion, complex events and event integration in African languages 163
- 6 A visual stimulus for eliciting associated motion 201
-
Part II: Australia and South Pacific
- 7 Associated motion in the Pama-Nyungan languages of Australia 231
- 8 Mudburra associated motion in an areal perspective 325
- 9 “Now the story’s turning around”: Associated motion and directionality in Ende, a language of Papua New Guinea 357
- 10 Preverbal directionals as markers of associated motion in Paluai (Austronesian; Oceanic) 385
-
Part III: The Americas
- 11 Associated motion in Chácobo (Pano) in typological perspective 419
- 12 Pilagá directionals and the typology of associated motion 451
- 13 Associated motion in North America (including Mexico and Central America) 485
- 14 Associated motion in the Otomi family 527
-
Part IV: Africa
- 15 Associated motion in Bantu languages 569
- 16 Associated motion and deictic directional in Atlantic languages 611
- 17 Ventive, associated motion and aspect in Jóola Fóoñi (Atlantic) 665
- 18 The extension of associated motion to direction, aspect and argument structure in Nilotic languages 695
- 19 The ‘along’–deictic-directional verb suffix complex in Kupsapiny 747
- 20 At the intersection of associated motion, direction and exchoative aspect in the Koman languages 779
-
Part V: Asia
- 21 Associated motion in Sino-Tibetan, with a focus on Gyalrongic and Kiranti 819
- 22 Associated motion in Tungusic languages: a case of mixed argument structure 855
- Subject Index 899
- Language Index 907
- Name Index 917
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
-
Part I: Perspectives and general issues
- 1 Introduction: associated motion as a grammatical category in linguistic typology 3
- 2 A cross-linguistic survey of Associated Motion and Directionals 31
- 3 Serial verb constructions and motion semantics 87
- 4 Associated motion and directionals: where they overlap 129
- 5 Deictic directionality as associated motion: motion, complex events and event integration in African languages 163
- 6 A visual stimulus for eliciting associated motion 201
-
Part II: Australia and South Pacific
- 7 Associated motion in the Pama-Nyungan languages of Australia 231
- 8 Mudburra associated motion in an areal perspective 325
- 9 “Now the story’s turning around”: Associated motion and directionality in Ende, a language of Papua New Guinea 357
- 10 Preverbal directionals as markers of associated motion in Paluai (Austronesian; Oceanic) 385
-
Part III: The Americas
- 11 Associated motion in Chácobo (Pano) in typological perspective 419
- 12 Pilagá directionals and the typology of associated motion 451
- 13 Associated motion in North America (including Mexico and Central America) 485
- 14 Associated motion in the Otomi family 527
-
Part IV: Africa
- 15 Associated motion in Bantu languages 569
- 16 Associated motion and deictic directional in Atlantic languages 611
- 17 Ventive, associated motion and aspect in Jóola Fóoñi (Atlantic) 665
- 18 The extension of associated motion to direction, aspect and argument structure in Nilotic languages 695
- 19 The ‘along’–deictic-directional verb suffix complex in Kupsapiny 747
- 20 At the intersection of associated motion, direction and exchoative aspect in the Koman languages 779
-
Part V: Asia
- 21 Associated motion in Sino-Tibetan, with a focus on Gyalrongic and Kiranti 819
- 22 Associated motion in Tungusic languages: a case of mixed argument structure 855
- Subject Index 899
- Language Index 907
- Name Index 917
