The history of verb classification in Nyulnyulan languages
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William B. McGregor
Abstract
Most languages of northern Australia show a compound verb construction in which an uninflecting verbal element collocates with one of a small set of inflecting verbs. McGregor (2002) argues that this construction typically represents a system of verb classification in which the inflecting verbal root categorizes the uninflecting element. He proposes further that such systems of verb classification diffused areally across the northern part of the continent. For the languages of the Kimberley region, there is evidence that this diffusion predated the break-up of the proto-languages, and that systems of verb classification (or their precursors) can be reconstructed for the proto-languages. I argue that such a system can be reconstructed for Proto-Nyulnyulan, and that subsequent historical changes to this system gave rise to the modern systems of the daughter languages.
Abstract
Most languages of northern Australia show a compound verb construction in which an uninflecting verbal element collocates with one of a small set of inflecting verbs. McGregor (2002) argues that this construction typically represents a system of verb classification in which the inflecting verbal root categorizes the uninflecting element. He proposes further that such systems of verb classification diffused areally across the northern part of the continent. For the languages of the Kimberley region, there is evidence that this diffusion predated the break-up of the proto-languages, and that systems of verb classification (or their precursors) can be reconstructed for the proto-languages. I argue that such a system can be reconstructed for Proto-Nyulnyulan, and that subsequent historical changes to this system gave rise to the modern systems of the daughter languages.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Abbreviations and conventions ix
- Introduction 1
- The semantic reduction of the noun universe and the diachrony of nominal classification 9
- Niger-Congo numeral classifiers in a diachronic perspective 33
- Semantic generalization in Ch’orti’ Mayan numeral classifiers 77
- Diachronic and synchronic aspects of the simplification of grammatical gender in an obsolescent language 107
- Numeral classifier systems in the Araxes-Iran linguistic area 135
- The diachrony of Oceanic possessive classifiers 165
- Development and diffusion of classifier systems in Southwestern Amazonia 201
- Nominal and verbal classification 241
- The diachrony of inflectional classes in four Germanic languages 283
- The history of verb classification in Nyulnyulan languages 315
- Author index 353
- Language index 355
- Subject index 359
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Abbreviations and conventions ix
- Introduction 1
- The semantic reduction of the noun universe and the diachrony of nominal classification 9
- Niger-Congo numeral classifiers in a diachronic perspective 33
- Semantic generalization in Ch’orti’ Mayan numeral classifiers 77
- Diachronic and synchronic aspects of the simplification of grammatical gender in an obsolescent language 107
- Numeral classifier systems in the Araxes-Iran linguistic area 135
- The diachrony of Oceanic possessive classifiers 165
- Development and diffusion of classifier systems in Southwestern Amazonia 201
- Nominal and verbal classification 241
- The diachrony of inflectional classes in four Germanic languages 283
- The history of verb classification in Nyulnyulan languages 315
- Author index 353
- Language index 355
- Subject index 359
