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18 Non-verbal predication in Chicham

  • Simon E. Overall
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Non-verbal Predication in the World’s Languages
This chapter is in the book Non-verbal Predication in the World’s Languages

Abstract

The chapter describes the expression of non-verbal predication in Chicham, a family of five closely related languages spoken in southern Ecuador and northern Peru. Three major strategies are described: an enclitic copula, a verbal copula, and simple juxtaposition of subject and predicate. The most frequent non-verbal predicates are nouns and adjectives, and to a lesser extent deverbal nominalizations and pronouns. There are also some examples of location words, time words, and quantifiers as predicates. The relatively shallow time-depth of the Chicham family means that the member languages share most of their grammatical constructions, and the subtle differences that do exist between them provide a good opportunity to observe diachronic change in progress, as illustrated by the different grammaticalized functions of copula constructions described in this chapter. The chapter clearly demonstrates the importance of a detailed approach to the morphosyntax of non-verbal predication.

Abstract

The chapter describes the expression of non-verbal predication in Chicham, a family of five closely related languages spoken in southern Ecuador and northern Peru. Three major strategies are described: an enclitic copula, a verbal copula, and simple juxtaposition of subject and predicate. The most frequent non-verbal predicates are nouns and adjectives, and to a lesser extent deverbal nominalizations and pronouns. There are also some examples of location words, time words, and quantifiers as predicates. The relatively shallow time-depth of the Chicham family means that the member languages share most of their grammatical constructions, and the subtle differences that do exist between them provide a good opportunity to observe diachronic change in progress, as illustrated by the different grammaticalized functions of copula constructions described in this chapter. The chapter clearly demonstrates the importance of a detailed approach to the morphosyntax of non-verbal predication.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. List of the Authors V
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Contents IX
  5. Part I: Setting the stage
  6. 1 Non-verbal predication: An analytical framework 1
  7. 2 A diachronic view on non-verbal predication 57
  8. 3 Crucial issues in non-verbal predication: A questionnaire 87
  9. Part II: Case studies
  10. 4 Non-verbal predication in Caijia and Waxiang: A Southeast Asian perspective 91
  11. 5 Non-verbal predication in Siyuewu Khroskyabs 129
  12. 6 Non-verbal predication in Uralic 155
  13. 7 Non-verbal predication in Turkic languages 195
  14. 8 Non-verbal predication in the so-called Paleosiberian languages 239
  15. 9 Non-verbal predication in Tungusic languages 275
  16. North America
  17. 10 Non-verbal predication in the Yupik-Inuktitut-Unangan (Eskimo-Aleut) family 313
  18. 11 Non-verbal predication in Western Apache (Athabaskan/Dene), with comparisons to Hän Athabaskan 353
  19. 12 Non-verbal predication in Algonquian languages 385
  20. 13 Non-verbal predication in Lushootseed (Salishan) 429
  21. 14 Non-verbal predication in Uto-Aztecan languages from northwestern Mexico 463
  22. South America
  23. 15 Verbless clauses and copula clauses in Arawak languages 505
  24. 16 Non-verbal predication in Tupian, especially Tupí-Guaraní languages 541
  25. 17 Non-verbal predication in Zaparoan languages 581
  26. 18 Non-verbal predication in Chicham 625
  27. 19 Non-verbal predication in the Pano languages of Western Amazonia 653
  28. 20 Non-verbal predication in Guaycuruan and Mataguayan 697
  29. 21 Non-verbal predication in Old Zamuco 743
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110730982-018

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. List of the Authors V
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Contents IX
  5. Part I: Setting the stage
  6. 1 Non-verbal predication: An analytical framework 1
  7. 2 A diachronic view on non-verbal predication 57
  8. 3 Crucial issues in non-verbal predication: A questionnaire 87
  9. Part II: Case studies
  10. 4 Non-verbal predication in Caijia and Waxiang: A Southeast Asian perspective 91
  11. 5 Non-verbal predication in Siyuewu Khroskyabs 129
  12. 6 Non-verbal predication in Uralic 155
  13. 7 Non-verbal predication in Turkic languages 195
  14. 8 Non-verbal predication in the so-called Paleosiberian languages 239
  15. 9 Non-verbal predication in Tungusic languages 275
  16. North America
  17. 10 Non-verbal predication in the Yupik-Inuktitut-Unangan (Eskimo-Aleut) family 313
  18. 11 Non-verbal predication in Western Apache (Athabaskan/Dene), with comparisons to Hän Athabaskan 353
  19. 12 Non-verbal predication in Algonquian languages 385
  20. 13 Non-verbal predication in Lushootseed (Salishan) 429
  21. 14 Non-verbal predication in Uto-Aztecan languages from northwestern Mexico 463
  22. South America
  23. 15 Verbless clauses and copula clauses in Arawak languages 505
  24. 16 Non-verbal predication in Tupian, especially Tupí-Guaraní languages 541
  25. 17 Non-verbal predication in Zaparoan languages 581
  26. 18 Non-verbal predication in Chicham 625
  27. 19 Non-verbal predication in the Pano languages of Western Amazonia 653
  28. 20 Non-verbal predication in Guaycuruan and Mataguayan 697
  29. 21 Non-verbal predication in Old Zamuco 743
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