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Chapter 4. The multifunctionality of Saramaccan táa

  • Claire Lefebvre and Virginie Loranger
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Functional Categories in Three Atlantic Creoles
This chapter is in the book Functional Categories in Three Atlantic Creoles

Abstract

This chapter bears on the properties and on the historical derivation of the multifunctional lexical item táa in Saramaccan. Táa fulfills several functions: it may be used as a verb, a complementizer, a quotative marker, and as a marker conveying similarity or manner. Táa is thus a multifunctional lexical item. Its functions parallel in a remarkable way those of the semantically closest substrate languages lexical entries. Furthermore, a review of the early sources reveals that táa was already a multifunctional item in early Sa. This constitutes a major drawback for a grammaticalization account of the relationship between táki and táa. The properties of táa are argued to have been derived through the process of relabeling. Finally, the parameters of relabeling are shown to be compatible only with a monosemic account of multifunctionality.

Abstract

This chapter bears on the properties and on the historical derivation of the multifunctional lexical item táa in Saramaccan. Táa fulfills several functions: it may be used as a verb, a complementizer, a quotative marker, and as a marker conveying similarity or manner. Táa is thus a multifunctional lexical item. Its functions parallel in a remarkable way those of the semantically closest substrate languages lexical entries. Furthermore, a review of the early sources reveals that táa was already a multifunctional item in early Sa. This constitutes a major drawback for a grammaticalization account of the relationship between táki and táa. The properties of táa are argued to have been derived through the process of relabeling. Finally, the parameters of relabeling are shown to be compatible only with a monosemic account of multifunctionality.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents vii
  3. Preface xv
  4. List of abbreviations xvii
  5. Chapter 1. Introduction 1
  6. Chapter 2. The nominal structures of Saramaccan, Fongbe and English with reference to Haitian Creole 17
  7. Chapter 3. Coordinating constructions in Fongbe with reference to Haitian Creole 69
  8. Chapter 4. The multifunctionality of Saramaccan táa 109
  9. Chapter 5. On the properties of Saramaccan fu 161
  10. Chapter 6. The multiple facets of Papiamentu ku 211
  11. Chapter 7. On the properties of Papiamentu pa 245
  12. Chapter 8. A new analysis of the Papiamentu clause structure 283
  13. Chapter 9. The properties of functional categories in the three creoles 317
  14. Chapter 10. Conclusion 345
  15. References 363
  16. Index of authors 381
  17. Index of subjects 385
https://doi.org/10.1075/cll.50.04ch4

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents vii
  3. Preface xv
  4. List of abbreviations xvii
  5. Chapter 1. Introduction 1
  6. Chapter 2. The nominal structures of Saramaccan, Fongbe and English with reference to Haitian Creole 17
  7. Chapter 3. Coordinating constructions in Fongbe with reference to Haitian Creole 69
  8. Chapter 4. The multifunctionality of Saramaccan táa 109
  9. Chapter 5. On the properties of Saramaccan fu 161
  10. Chapter 6. The multiple facets of Papiamentu ku 211
  11. Chapter 7. On the properties of Papiamentu pa 245
  12. Chapter 8. A new analysis of the Papiamentu clause structure 283
  13. Chapter 9. The properties of functional categories in the three creoles 317
  14. Chapter 10. Conclusion 345
  15. References 363
  16. Index of authors 381
  17. Index of subjects 385
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