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Chapter 5. Nonverbal predicates and copula constructions in Aguaruna (Chicham)

  • Simon E. Overall

Abstract

This chapter focuses primarily on the formal expression of equative, proper inclusion and attributive relations in Aguaruna, all three of which are encoded as copula clauses. The copula clause involves two arguments that both take nominative case; the copula element may be a full verb, it may be an enclitic to the copula complement argument, or the clause may be truly verbless, formed by simple juxtaposition of the arguments. The copula verb itself is homophonous with an existential verb that forms a simple intransitive clause, and a few other intransitive verbs may also function as copulas. Finally, I show that the formal structures associated with copula clauses also feature in auxiliary constructions and as a means of marking finite verbal categories in clauses with nominalized verbs.

Abstract

This chapter focuses primarily on the formal expression of equative, proper inclusion and attributive relations in Aguaruna, all three of which are encoded as copula clauses. The copula clause involves two arguments that both take nominative case; the copula element may be a full verb, it may be an enclitic to the copula complement argument, or the clause may be truly verbless, formed by simple juxtaposition of the arguments. The copula verb itself is homophonous with an existential verb that forms a simple intransitive clause, and a few other intransitive verbs may also function as copulas. Finally, I show that the formal structures associated with copula clauses also feature in auxiliary constructions and as a means of marking finite verbal categories in clauses with nominalized verbs.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Nonverbal predication in Amazonia 1
  4. Part I. Overviews of nonverbal predication in individual languages
  5. Chapter 2. Nonverbal predication and the nonverbal clause type of Mojeño Trinitario 53
  6. Chapter 3. Nonverbal predication in Paresi-Haliti 85
  7. Chapter 4. Nonverbal predication in Kari’nja (Cariban, Suriname) 103
  8. Chapter 5. Nonverbal predicates and copula constructions in Aguaruna (Chicham) 135
  9. Chapter 6. To hi or not to hi ? 163
  10. Chapter 7. Between verb and noun 193
  11. Chapter 8. Nonverbal predication in Movima 217
  12. Chapter 9. Nonverbal predication in Ninam (northern Brazil) 245
  13. Part II. Exploring specific subtypes of nonverbal predicates
  14. Chapter 10. Locative, existential and possessive predication in the Chaco 263
  15. Chapter 11. Possessive semantic relations and construction types in Kukama-Kukamiria 295
  16. Part III. Diachronic pathways to and from nonverbal predication
  17. Chapter 12. Constructions with has(a) in Wampis 317
  18. Chapter 13. Evidence for the development of action nominals in Awetí towards ergatively-marked predicates 339
  19. Chapter 14. Reconstructing the copulas and nonverbal predicate constructions in Cariban 365
  20. Index 403
Nonverbal Predication in Amazonian Languages
This chapter is in the book Nonverbal Predication in Amazonian Languages
https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.122.05ove

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Nonverbal predication in Amazonia 1
  4. Part I. Overviews of nonverbal predication in individual languages
  5. Chapter 2. Nonverbal predication and the nonverbal clause type of Mojeño Trinitario 53
  6. Chapter 3. Nonverbal predication in Paresi-Haliti 85
  7. Chapter 4. Nonverbal predication in Kari’nja (Cariban, Suriname) 103
  8. Chapter 5. Nonverbal predicates and copula constructions in Aguaruna (Chicham) 135
  9. Chapter 6. To hi or not to hi ? 163
  10. Chapter 7. Between verb and noun 193
  11. Chapter 8. Nonverbal predication in Movima 217
  12. Chapter 9. Nonverbal predication in Ninam (northern Brazil) 245
  13. Part II. Exploring specific subtypes of nonverbal predicates
  14. Chapter 10. Locative, existential and possessive predication in the Chaco 263
  15. Chapter 11. Possessive semantic relations and construction types in Kukama-Kukamiria 295
  16. Part III. Diachronic pathways to and from nonverbal predication
  17. Chapter 12. Constructions with has(a) in Wampis 317
  18. Chapter 13. Evidence for the development of action nominals in Awetí towards ergatively-marked predicates 339
  19. Chapter 14. Reconstructing the copulas and nonverbal predicate constructions in Cariban 365
  20. Index 403
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