Tlachichilco Tepehua
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James K. Watters
Abstract
Tlachichilco Tepehua, like other Tepehua and Totonacan languages, has a rich system of morphology that modifies verb valency. There are five constructions that affect core arguments of the verb: the dative and causative and the four valency-decreasing constructions ─ passive, antipassive, body-part incorporation, and the decausative. These morphological processes typically affect inherent aspect and lexical semantics or facilitate tracking referents in discourse. The three applicative prefixes, and, in some cases, the dative suffix, license non-core arguments which function as direct arguments of the verb. Syntactically, the applicatives allow non-core arguments to be questioned or relativized. Semantically, their arguments manifest roles that are frame-internal ─ determined by the scene associated with the base verb ─ or frame-external, such as the benefactive.
Abstract
Tlachichilco Tepehua, like other Tepehua and Totonacan languages, has a rich system of morphology that modifies verb valency. There are five constructions that affect core arguments of the verb: the dative and causative and the four valency-decreasing constructions ─ passive, antipassive, body-part incorporation, and the decausative. These morphological processes typically affect inherent aspect and lexical semantics or facilitate tracking referents in discourse. The three applicative prefixes, and, in some cases, the dative suffix, license non-core arguments which function as direct arguments of the verb. Syntactically, the applicatives allow non-core arguments to be questioned or relativized. Semantically, their arguments manifest roles that are frame-internal ─ determined by the scene associated with the base verb ─ or frame-external, such as the benefactive.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of abbreviations vii
- Preface ix
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Part I. Theoretical perspectives on verb valency change
- Markedness effects in applicative formation 3
- Morphosyntactic defectiveness in complex predicate formation 31
- Two types of locative alternation 51
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Part II. Verb valency changes across languages
- Transitivity and valency-changing operations in Huasteca Nahuatl 81
- The semantics of Nahuatl tla- constructions 107
- Valency-changing operations in Yaqui resultatives 133
- Tlachichilco Tepehua 165
- A panorama of valency changing operations in Seri 193
- The antipassive marking in Mocoví 227
- Arabic ‘labile verbs’ in form III 257
- Valency-decreasing operations in a valency-increasing language? 285
- Language index 305
- Subject index 307
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of abbreviations vii
- Preface ix
-
Part I. Theoretical perspectives on verb valency change
- Markedness effects in applicative formation 3
- Morphosyntactic defectiveness in complex predicate formation 31
- Two types of locative alternation 51
-
Part II. Verb valency changes across languages
- Transitivity and valency-changing operations in Huasteca Nahuatl 81
- The semantics of Nahuatl tla- constructions 107
- Valency-changing operations in Yaqui resultatives 133
- Tlachichilco Tepehua 165
- A panorama of valency changing operations in Seri 193
- The antipassive marking in Mocoví 227
- Arabic ‘labile verbs’ in form III 257
- Valency-decreasing operations in a valency-increasing language? 285
- Language index 305
- Subject index 307
