John Benjamins Publishing Company
Converb and aspect-marking polysemy in Nar
Abstract
This analysis responds to Michael Noonan’s call to embrace the messiness and complexities of grammar found in natural language use, continuing the tradition of undertaking rich, deep investigations of a critically endangered, under-documented language (Nar, Tibeto-Burman, Nepal). It is an examination of the polysemy between a set of non-finite and finite markers in Nar. This paper revises Noonan’s labeling to better reflect their distribution in varied contexts. Non-finite -ce is analyzed as a perfective converb and -te is an imperfective converb, as demonstrated via syntactic and semantic properties. In final position, -ce is a gnomic perfective aspect marker and final -te is a general imperfective aspect marker. These labels more accurately reflect their situational and temporal semantics.
Abstract
This analysis responds to Michael Noonan’s call to embrace the messiness and complexities of grammar found in natural language use, continuing the tradition of undertaking rich, deep investigations of a critically endangered, under-documented language (Nar, Tibeto-Burman, Nepal). It is an examination of the polysemy between a set of non-finite and finite markers in Nar. This paper revises Noonan’s labeling to better reflect their distribution in varied contexts. Non-finite -ce is analyzed as a perfective converb and -te is an imperfective converb, as demonstrated via syntactic and semantic properties. In final position, -ce is a gnomic perfective aspect marker and final -te is a general imperfective aspect marker. These labels more accurately reflect their situational and temporal semantics.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Dedication vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Introduction xi
-
Part I. Language Endangerment: Challenges and Responses
- The world’s languages in crisis 3
- What can revitalization work teach us about documentation? 21
- Unanswered questions in language documentation and revitalization 43
- Training as empowering social action 59
- How to avoid pitfalls in documenting endangered languages 79
-
Part II. Case Studies in Documentation and Revitalization of Endangered Languages and Languages in Contact
- Converb and aspect-marking polysemy in Nar 97
- Grammatical relations in Mixe and Chimariko 119
- Having a shinshii/shiishii ‘master’ around makes you speak Japanese! 141
- Internal and external calls to immigrant language promotion 157
- Code-switching in an Erzya–Russian bilingual variety 175
- Colonialism, nationalism and language vitality in Azerbaijan 197
- Revitalizing languages through place-based language curriculum 221
- Remembering ancestral voices 243
- Index 271
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Dedication vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Introduction xi
-
Part I. Language Endangerment: Challenges and Responses
- The world’s languages in crisis 3
- What can revitalization work teach us about documentation? 21
- Unanswered questions in language documentation and revitalization 43
- Training as empowering social action 59
- How to avoid pitfalls in documenting endangered languages 79
-
Part II. Case Studies in Documentation and Revitalization of Endangered Languages and Languages in Contact
- Converb and aspect-marking polysemy in Nar 97
- Grammatical relations in Mixe and Chimariko 119
- Having a shinshii/shiishii ‘master’ around makes you speak Japanese! 141
- Internal and external calls to immigrant language promotion 157
- Code-switching in an Erzya–Russian bilingual variety 175
- Colonialism, nationalism and language vitality in Azerbaijan 197
- Revitalizing languages through place-based language curriculum 221
- Remembering ancestral voices 243
- Index 271
