20 Number in Mohawk (Iroquoian)
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Marianne Mithun
Abstract
Mohawk is a prototypical polysynthetic language: verbs are holophrastic, capable of serving as complete sentences in themselves. Interestingly, number distinctions are centered in verbs rather than nouns. All verbs are finite, with obligatory pronominal specification of their core arguments. The pronominal prefixes distinguish first and second persons, and neuter, masculine, feminine-zoic, and third persons. There are grammatical agent, patient, and transitive paradigms. Singular, dual, and plural number are distinguished for first and second persons and masculine and feminine-zoic for third person agents. Only singular and duo-plural are distinguished for masculine and feminine-zoic patients. Number is not generally distinguished for neuters (inanimates). Nouns, by contrast, are grammatically neuter, so do not distinguish number. (Nominals referring to persons are morphological verbs.) Inalienable possessive prefixes on nouns mirror the agent forms on verbs, and alienable forms those of patients. They do not, however distinguish number or show agreement with the pronominal prefixes on verbs.
Abstract
Mohawk is a prototypical polysynthetic language: verbs are holophrastic, capable of serving as complete sentences in themselves. Interestingly, number distinctions are centered in verbs rather than nouns. All verbs are finite, with obligatory pronominal specification of their core arguments. The pronominal prefixes distinguish first and second persons, and neuter, masculine, feminine-zoic, and third persons. There are grammatical agent, patient, and transitive paradigms. Singular, dual, and plural number are distinguished for first and second persons and masculine and feminine-zoic for third person agents. Only singular and duo-plural are distinguished for masculine and feminine-zoic patients. Number is not generally distinguished for neuters (inanimates). Nouns, by contrast, are grammatically neuter, so do not distinguish number. (Nominals referring to persons are morphological verbs.) Inalienable possessive prefixes on nouns mirror the agent forms on verbs, and alienable forms those of patients. They do not, however distinguish number or show agreement with the pronominal prefixes on verbs.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter i
- Contents v
- List of authors ix
- 1 Number in the World’s Languages: Configuring the variation space 1
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I Africa
- 2 Number in Eastern Dan 27
- 3 Number marking in Karko and Nilo-Saharan 63
- 4 Number in Tswana 107
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II Europe and Middle East
- 5 Number in Arabic 131
- 6 Number in Occitan 167
- 7 Number in Slovenian 187
- 8 Number in West Circassian 261
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III Northern Eurasia
- 9 Number in Ket (Yeniseian) 307
- 10 Number in Nganasan 351
- 11 Number in Nivkh 375
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IV Pacific and Australia
- 12 Number in Gooniyandi 427
- 13 Number in Indonesian 457
- 14 Number in Japonic Family 505
- 15 Number in the Languages of the Lower Sepik Family 529
- 16 Number in Marori 577
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V Americas
- 17 Number in the languages of South America 609
- 18 The category of number in Kakataibo (Panoan) 671
- 19 Grammatical simplexity: Number in Kiowa 693
- 20 Number in Mohawk (Iroquoian) 729
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VI Further perspectives on linguistic diversity
- 21 Contact languages: A survey 767
- 22 Number in Russian Sign Language 805
- 23 Number in grammar: results and perspectives 833
- Terms 911
- Languages and language families 917
- Authors 927
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter i
- Contents v
- List of authors ix
- 1 Number in the World’s Languages: Configuring the variation space 1
-
I Africa
- 2 Number in Eastern Dan 27
- 3 Number marking in Karko and Nilo-Saharan 63
- 4 Number in Tswana 107
-
II Europe and Middle East
- 5 Number in Arabic 131
- 6 Number in Occitan 167
- 7 Number in Slovenian 187
- 8 Number in West Circassian 261
-
III Northern Eurasia
- 9 Number in Ket (Yeniseian) 307
- 10 Number in Nganasan 351
- 11 Number in Nivkh 375
-
IV Pacific and Australia
- 12 Number in Gooniyandi 427
- 13 Number in Indonesian 457
- 14 Number in Japonic Family 505
- 15 Number in the Languages of the Lower Sepik Family 529
- 16 Number in Marori 577
-
V Americas
- 17 Number in the languages of South America 609
- 18 The category of number in Kakataibo (Panoan) 671
- 19 Grammatical simplexity: Number in Kiowa 693
- 20 Number in Mohawk (Iroquoian) 729
-
VI Further perspectives on linguistic diversity
- 21 Contact languages: A survey 767
- 22 Number in Russian Sign Language 805
- 23 Number in grammar: results and perspectives 833
- Terms 911
- Languages and language families 917
- Authors 927
