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On the tightrope between infinitives and action nouns

The case of Otomi nominalizations
  • Enrique L. Palancar
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Finiteness and Nominalization
This chapter is in the book Finiteness and Nominalization

Abstract

In this paper, I study the distribution of two nominalization structures in two closely related Amerindian languages of Mexico (Eastern Otomi and Northern Otomi). The structures involve intransitive nominalizations depicting a customary activity performed by humans (‘hunting’, ‘sowing’, etc.) as they appear in a complementation frame. I address the question of whether these nominalization structures in Otomi are morphologically non-finite forms or are just nouns. I show how a cognate structure in two close languages can be found in the two opposing ends of a nominalization scale: in Eastern Otomi, the structure is inflectional and should be analyzed as an intransitive infinitive, while its equivalent in Northern Otomi should be seen as an action deverbal noun.

Abstract

In this paper, I study the distribution of two nominalization structures in two closely related Amerindian languages of Mexico (Eastern Otomi and Northern Otomi). The structures involve intransitive nominalizations depicting a customary activity performed by humans (‘hunting’, ‘sowing’, etc.) as they appear in a complementation frame. I address the question of whether these nominalization structures in Otomi are morphologically non-finite forms or are just nouns. I show how a cognate structure in two close languages can be found in the two opposing ends of a nominalization scale: in Eastern Otomi, the structure is inflectional and should be analyzed as an intransitive infinitive, while its equivalent in Northern Otomi should be seen as an action deverbal noun.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments vii
  4. Finiteness and nominalization 1
  5. PART I. Finiteness, nominalization and information structure
  6. Finiteness, nominalization, and information structure 13
  7. Exploring finiteness and non-finiteness in Pima Bajo (Uto-Aztecan) 43
  8. PART II. Correlation between continuum of finiteness and scale from dependent to independent clause
  9. Finiteness in Haruai 71
  10. Non-finite chain-medial clauses on the continuum of finiteness in Purepecha 83
  11. PART III. Nominalization structures and their relation to the scale of finiteness
  12. The evolution of grammatical nominalizations in Cahita languages 107
  13. On the tightrope between infinitives and action nouns 141
  14. Referential markers in Oceanic nominalized constructions 171
  15. The role of nominalization in theticity 205
  16. On non-finiteness and canonical imperatives 243
  17. PART IV. Diachronic process: re-finitization and finitization
  18. Nominalization and re-finitization 271
  19. Shifting finiteness in nominalization 297
  20. The Manner converb in Beja (Cushitic) and its refinitization 323
  21. On finitization 345
  22. Language Index 371
  23. Name Index 373
  24. Subject Index 377
https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.113.07pal

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments vii
  4. Finiteness and nominalization 1
  5. PART I. Finiteness, nominalization and information structure
  6. Finiteness, nominalization, and information structure 13
  7. Exploring finiteness and non-finiteness in Pima Bajo (Uto-Aztecan) 43
  8. PART II. Correlation between continuum of finiteness and scale from dependent to independent clause
  9. Finiteness in Haruai 71
  10. Non-finite chain-medial clauses on the continuum of finiteness in Purepecha 83
  11. PART III. Nominalization structures and their relation to the scale of finiteness
  12. The evolution of grammatical nominalizations in Cahita languages 107
  13. On the tightrope between infinitives and action nouns 141
  14. Referential markers in Oceanic nominalized constructions 171
  15. The role of nominalization in theticity 205
  16. On non-finiteness and canonical imperatives 243
  17. PART IV. Diachronic process: re-finitization and finitization
  18. Nominalization and re-finitization 271
  19. Shifting finiteness in nominalization 297
  20. The Manner converb in Beja (Cushitic) and its refinitization 323
  21. On finitization 345
  22. Language Index 371
  23. Name Index 373
  24. Subject Index 377
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