The case of possessors and ‘subjects’
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Cathryn Donohue
Abstract
Possessors have often been treated as the ‘subjects’ of the DPs in which they appear, being analyzed as surfacing in [spec, DP] by analogy to the standard analysis for clausal subjects in a configurational framework of grammar. In this paper , we present a new descriptive generalization showing that there is in fact much variation in the coding of genitive phrases, and that the simple equation of subjects to possessors fails to capture the range of variation attested cross-linguistically. Examining a broad selection of Austronesian languages, we conclude that an understanding of the systemic oppositions in a particular language is essential to understanding the syncretisms found in that language and that while the subject/possessor syncretisms are widespread, the only clear generalization that can be drawn about possessors in Austronesian is that processors are marked using the ‘default’ case marker.
Abstract
Possessors have often been treated as the ‘subjects’ of the DPs in which they appear, being analyzed as surfacing in [spec, DP] by analogy to the standard analysis for clausal subjects in a configurational framework of grammar. In this paper , we present a new descriptive generalization showing that there is in fact much variation in the coding of genitive phrases, and that the simple equation of subjects to possessors fails to capture the range of variation attested cross-linguistically. Examining a broad selection of Austronesian languages, we conclude that an understanding of the systemic oppositions in a particular language is essential to understanding the syncretisms found in that language and that while the subject/possessor syncretisms are widespread, the only clear generalization that can be drawn about possessors in Austronesian is that processors are marked using the ‘default’ case marker.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
Phonetics/Phonology/Morphology
- The role of larynx height in the Javanese tense ~ lax stop contrast 7
- Reduplication in Tanjung Raden Malay 25
- Discontiguous reduplication in a local variety of Malay 45
- Phonological evidence for the structure of Javanese compounds 65
- Intonation, information structure and the derivation of inverse VO languages 81
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Syntax
- The case of possessors and ‘subjects’ 103
- Genitive relative constructions and agent incorporation in Tongan 117
- Possession syntax in Unua DPs 141
- Seediq adverbial verbs 163
- On the syntax of Formosan adverbial verb constructions 183
- Specification and inversion 213
- VSO word order in Malagasy imperatives 231
- A unified analysis of Niuean Aki 249
- Deriving inverse order 271
- The impersonal construction in Tagalog 297
- Anaphora in traditional Jambi Malay 327
- On parameters of agreement in Austronesian languages 345
- Index 375
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
Phonetics/Phonology/Morphology
- The role of larynx height in the Javanese tense ~ lax stop contrast 7
- Reduplication in Tanjung Raden Malay 25
- Discontiguous reduplication in a local variety of Malay 45
- Phonological evidence for the structure of Javanese compounds 65
- Intonation, information structure and the derivation of inverse VO languages 81
-
Syntax
- The case of possessors and ‘subjects’ 103
- Genitive relative constructions and agent incorporation in Tongan 117
- Possession syntax in Unua DPs 141
- Seediq adverbial verbs 163
- On the syntax of Formosan adverbial verb constructions 183
- Specification and inversion 213
- VSO word order in Malagasy imperatives 231
- A unified analysis of Niuean Aki 249
- Deriving inverse order 271
- The impersonal construction in Tagalog 297
- Anaphora in traditional Jambi Malay 327
- On parameters of agreement in Austronesian languages 345
- Index 375
