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Clause chaining and conjugations in Wolof

A typology of parataxis and its semantics

Abstract

Due to the specificity of its verb conjugation system, Wolof (Senegal) favors parataxis for clause combining and provides an interesting case where interclausal dependency can be marked by forms indicating information hierarchy. Furthermore, the study of clause combining shows that, with some restrictions on possible combinations, the various combinations of conjugations (or Tense-Aspect-Modality markers) produce different but regular interclausal meanings, such as succession, causality, opposition or consecution. Moreover, due to the nature of the different conjugations, paratactic clause chaining in Wolof yields different types of interclausal dependency, defining a gradient of syntactic integration: from simple assertive juxtaposition to more integrated syntactic dependency, through lesser known types of dependency, defined here as ‘situational dependency’ and ‘pragmatic dependency’.

Abstract

Due to the specificity of its verb conjugation system, Wolof (Senegal) favors parataxis for clause combining and provides an interesting case where interclausal dependency can be marked by forms indicating information hierarchy. Furthermore, the study of clause combining shows that, with some restrictions on possible combinations, the various combinations of conjugations (or Tense-Aspect-Modality markers) produce different but regular interclausal meanings, such as succession, causality, opposition or consecution. Moreover, due to the nature of the different conjugations, paratactic clause chaining in Wolof yields different types of interclausal dependency, defining a gradient of syntactic integration: from simple assertive juxtaposition to more integrated syntactic dependency, through lesser known types of dependency, defined here as ‘situational dependency’ and ‘pragmatic dependency’.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of contributors vii
  4. Editor’s introduction 1
  5. Part I. Syntactic terminology and typological methods
  6. Clause linkage and Nexus in Papuan languages 27
  7. Capturing particulars and universals in clause linkage 51
  8. Part II. Clause-chaining, converbs, masdars, absolutive constructions, etc.
  9. Specialized converbs and adverbial subordination in Axaxdәrә Akhvakh 105
  10. Finite and non-finite 143
  11. Converbs and adverbial clauses in Badaga, a South-Dravidian language 165
  12. Coordination, converbs and clause chaining in Coptic Egyptian typology and structural analysis 203
  13. Part III. Subordination, informational hierarchy and referential hierarchy
  14. Informational and referential hierarchy 269
  15. Comment clause 313
  16. Deixis, information structure and clause linkage in Yafi’ Arabic (Yemen) 333
  17. The role of the Berber deictic and TAM markers in dependent clauses in Zenaga 355
  18. Deixis and temporal subordinators in Pomak (Slavic, Greece) 399
  19. Correlative markers as phoric “Grammaticalised Category Markers” of subordination in German 421
  20. Part IV. Informational hierarchy and TAM markers’ functions in clause-linkage
  21. Focus, mood and clause linkage in Umpithamu (Cape York Peninsula, Australia) 451
  22. Clause chaining and conjugations in Wolof 469
  23. Pragmatic demotion and clause dependency 499
  24. Tense-mood concordance and clause chaining in Mankon (a Grassfields Bantu language) 549
  25. Clause dependency relations in East Greenlandic Inuit 581
  26. Coordination and subordination 603
  27. Author index 619
  28. Language index 623
  29. Topic index 625
Clause Linking and Clause Hierarchy
This chapter is in the book Clause Linking and Clause Hierarchy
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.121.15rob

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of contributors vii
  4. Editor’s introduction 1
  5. Part I. Syntactic terminology and typological methods
  6. Clause linkage and Nexus in Papuan languages 27
  7. Capturing particulars and universals in clause linkage 51
  8. Part II. Clause-chaining, converbs, masdars, absolutive constructions, etc.
  9. Specialized converbs and adverbial subordination in Axaxdәrә Akhvakh 105
  10. Finite and non-finite 143
  11. Converbs and adverbial clauses in Badaga, a South-Dravidian language 165
  12. Coordination, converbs and clause chaining in Coptic Egyptian typology and structural analysis 203
  13. Part III. Subordination, informational hierarchy and referential hierarchy
  14. Informational and referential hierarchy 269
  15. Comment clause 313
  16. Deixis, information structure and clause linkage in Yafi’ Arabic (Yemen) 333
  17. The role of the Berber deictic and TAM markers in dependent clauses in Zenaga 355
  18. Deixis and temporal subordinators in Pomak (Slavic, Greece) 399
  19. Correlative markers as phoric “Grammaticalised Category Markers” of subordination in German 421
  20. Part IV. Informational hierarchy and TAM markers’ functions in clause-linkage
  21. Focus, mood and clause linkage in Umpithamu (Cape York Peninsula, Australia) 451
  22. Clause chaining and conjugations in Wolof 469
  23. Pragmatic demotion and clause dependency 499
  24. Tense-mood concordance and clause chaining in Mankon (a Grassfields Bantu language) 549
  25. Clause dependency relations in East Greenlandic Inuit 581
  26. Coordination and subordination 603
  27. Author index 619
  28. Language index 623
  29. Topic index 625
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