Subordinate clauses, switch-reference, and tail-head linkage in Cavineña narratives
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Antoine Guillaume
Abstract
Tail-head linkage is a discourse pattern which consists in repeating, at the beginning of a new sentence, the main verb of the preceding sentence for discourse cohesion. This pattern, which is rarely discussed in general typological work, is widespread in certain areas of the globe, in particular Papua New Guinea. In this paper, I report a case of tail-head linkage in Cavineña, an Amazonian language spoken in the northern lowlands of Bolivia, in which it is manifested by way of three subordinate clause types: two temporal adverbial clauses and a relative clause used adverbially. I also show how the switch-reference system that is associated with certain of these clauses participates in the tail-head linkage system for participant coherence between sentences.
Abstract
Tail-head linkage is a discourse pattern which consists in repeating, at the beginning of a new sentence, the main verb of the preceding sentence for discourse cohesion. This pattern, which is rarely discussed in general typological work, is widespread in certain areas of the globe, in particular Papua New Guinea. In this paper, I report a case of tail-head linkage in Cavineña, an Amazonian language spoken in the northern lowlands of Bolivia, in which it is manifested by way of three subordinate clause types: two temporal adverbial clauses and a relative clause used adverbially. I also show how the switch-reference system that is associated with certain of these clauses participates in the tail-head linkage system for participant coherence between sentences.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Subordination in South America 1
- Subordinate adverbial constructions in Mekens 25
- Relative clauses in Mẽbengokre 45
- Clause embedding strategies in Baure (Arawakan) 79
- Subordinate clauses, switch-reference, and tail-head linkage in Cavineña narratives 109
- Referring to states and events 141
- Semantic and grammatical integration in Yurakaré subordination 169
- Subordination in Cholón 193
- Cofán subordinate clauses in a typology of subordination 221
- Relative clauses in Ecuadorian Quechua 251
- Participial clauses in Tarma Quechua 267
- Complex sentences in Uchumataqu in a comparative perspective with Chipaya 281
- Author index 307
- Language index 309
- Subject index 313
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Subordination in South America 1
- Subordinate adverbial constructions in Mekens 25
- Relative clauses in Mẽbengokre 45
- Clause embedding strategies in Baure (Arawakan) 79
- Subordinate clauses, switch-reference, and tail-head linkage in Cavineña narratives 109
- Referring to states and events 141
- Semantic and grammatical integration in Yurakaré subordination 169
- Subordination in Cholón 193
- Cofán subordinate clauses in a typology of subordination 221
- Relative clauses in Ecuadorian Quechua 251
- Participial clauses in Tarma Quechua 267
- Complex sentences in Uchumataqu in a comparative perspective with Chipaya 281
- Author index 307
- Language index 309
- Subject index 313
