Discourse semantics and the form of the verb predicate in Karachay-Balkar
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Andrej A. Kibrik
Abstract
Karachay-Balkar, a Turkic language of the Northern Caucasus, uses both finite and nonfinite verb forms to report narrative events. How do language users choose between these options when producing discourse? I propose a discourse-semantic distinction between plain temporal sequence and a sequence with a causal nuance as the guiding force behind this choice and use a combination of observational and experimental techniques to substantiate this suggestion. Such a combination of methods can be used in various field studies of lesser-known languages. In addition, I provide a review of verb forms used in Karachay-Balkar to formulate the predicates of narrative and non-narrative clauses.
Abstract
Karachay-Balkar, a Turkic language of the Northern Caucasus, uses both finite and nonfinite verb forms to report narrative events. How do language users choose between these options when producing discourse? I propose a discourse-semantic distinction between plain temporal sequence and a sequence with a causal nuance as the guiding force behind this choice and use a combination of observational and experimental techniques to substantiate this suggestion. Such a combination of methods can be used in various field studies of lesser-known languages. In addition, I provide a review of verb forms used in Karachay-Balkar to formulate the predicates of narrative and non-narrative clauses.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
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Part I. Structures and typologies
- Discourse semantics and the form of the verb predicate in Karachay-Balkar 3
- Typology and channel of communication 47
- Marking versus indexing 69
- Head-marking languages and linguistic theory 91
- Lessons of variability in clause coordination 125
- Noun classes grow on trees 153
- Affecting valence in Khumi 171
- Capturing diversity in language acquisition research 195
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Part II. Distributions in time and space
- Who inherits what, when? 219
- Polysynthesis in the Arctic/Sub-Arctic 241
- A (micro-)accretion zone in a remnant zone? 265
- A history of Iroquoian gender marking 283
- The satem shift, Armenian siseṙn, and the early Indo-European of the Balkans 299
- Penultimate lengthening in Bantu 309
- Culture and the spread of Slavic 331
- The syntax and pragmatics of Tungusic revisited 357
- Some observations on typological features of hunter-gatherer languages 383
- Typologizing phonetic precursors to sound change 395
- Distributional biases in language families 415
- The morphology of imperatives in Lak 445
- Subgrouping in Tibeto-Burman 463
-
Part III. A (cautionary) note on methodology
- Real data, contrived data, and the Yokuts Canon 477
- Language index 495
- Name index 499
- Subject index 505
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
-
Part I. Structures and typologies
- Discourse semantics and the form of the verb predicate in Karachay-Balkar 3
- Typology and channel of communication 47
- Marking versus indexing 69
- Head-marking languages and linguistic theory 91
- Lessons of variability in clause coordination 125
- Noun classes grow on trees 153
- Affecting valence in Khumi 171
- Capturing diversity in language acquisition research 195
-
Part II. Distributions in time and space
- Who inherits what, when? 219
- Polysynthesis in the Arctic/Sub-Arctic 241
- A (micro-)accretion zone in a remnant zone? 265
- A history of Iroquoian gender marking 283
- The satem shift, Armenian siseṙn, and the early Indo-European of the Balkans 299
- Penultimate lengthening in Bantu 309
- Culture and the spread of Slavic 331
- The syntax and pragmatics of Tungusic revisited 357
- Some observations on typological features of hunter-gatherer languages 383
- Typologizing phonetic precursors to sound change 395
- Distributional biases in language families 415
- The morphology of imperatives in Lak 445
- Subgrouping in Tibeto-Burman 463
-
Part III. A (cautionary) note on methodology
- Real data, contrived data, and the Yokuts Canon 477
- Language index 495
- Name index 499
- Subject index 505
