30 Non-verbal predication in three families of Papunesia: Teiwa, Tidore and Mian
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Marian Klamer
Abstract
This chapter describes the patterns of non-verbal predication in three distinct Papuan families, taking one representative language from each family: Teiwa represents the Timor Alor Pantar family, Tidore the North Halmahera family, and Mian the Ok family. The chapter finds the following similarities between the three languages: in all three of them, the predicative behaviour of nouns and adjectives is similar; all use the juxtaposition construction; subject pronouns are crucial for distinguishing predicates of identity from those that express inclusion, and in all of them, subjects of non-verbal predicates are encoded like the subjects of semantically monovalent verbs. In none of them, copula forms are used, and none of the languages feature a verb ‘to have’; instead, predicative possession is expressed by nominal clauses containing a possessor. As Teiwa, Tidore and Mian belong to three different language families, located hundreds of kilometers apart, the similarities cannot be explained by inheritance or contact. As such, this chapter indicates which elements in the encoding of non-verbal predicates show universal similarity and where there is variation.
Abstract
This chapter describes the patterns of non-verbal predication in three distinct Papuan families, taking one representative language from each family: Teiwa represents the Timor Alor Pantar family, Tidore the North Halmahera family, and Mian the Ok family. The chapter finds the following similarities between the three languages: in all three of them, the predicative behaviour of nouns and adjectives is similar; all use the juxtaposition construction; subject pronouns are crucial for distinguishing predicates of identity from those that express inclusion, and in all of them, subjects of non-verbal predicates are encoded like the subjects of semantically monovalent verbs. In none of them, copula forms are used, and none of the languages feature a verb ‘to have’; instead, predicative possession is expressed by nominal clauses containing a possessor. As Teiwa, Tidore and Mian belong to three different language families, located hundreds of kilometers apart, the similarities cannot be explained by inheritance or contact. As such, this chapter indicates which elements in the encoding of non-verbal predicates show universal similarity and where there is variation.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- List of the Authors V
- Acknowledgments
- Contents IX
- Crucial issues in non-verbal predication: A questionnaire 785
-
Part II: Case studies
- 22 Non-verbal predication in Maltese 789
- 23 Non-verbal predication in Nilotic 829
- 24 Non-verbal predication in Cushitic 865
- 25 Non-verbal predication in Mandinka and other Mande languages 915
- 26 Non-verbal predication in Cuwabo (Bantu) 955
- 27 Non-verbal predication in Ju 993
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Austronesia, Papunesia, Australia
- 28 Non-verbal predicates in Oceanic languages 1021
- 29 Non-verbal predication in Formosan languages 1067
- 30 Non-verbal predication in three families of Papunesia: Teiwa, Tidore and Mian 1103
- 31 Non-verbal predication in Nungon 1143
- 32 Non-verbal predication in Ngumpin-Yapa languages (Australia) 1169
-
Part III: Conclusion and prospects
- 33 Non-verbal predication: Results and perspectives 1213
- Subject index 1275
- Language index 1283
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- List of the Authors V
- Acknowledgments
- Contents IX
- Crucial issues in non-verbal predication: A questionnaire 785
-
Part II: Case studies
- 22 Non-verbal predication in Maltese 789
- 23 Non-verbal predication in Nilotic 829
- 24 Non-verbal predication in Cushitic 865
- 25 Non-verbal predication in Mandinka and other Mande languages 915
- 26 Non-verbal predication in Cuwabo (Bantu) 955
- 27 Non-verbal predication in Ju 993
-
Austronesia, Papunesia, Australia
- 28 Non-verbal predicates in Oceanic languages 1021
- 29 Non-verbal predication in Formosan languages 1067
- 30 Non-verbal predication in three families of Papunesia: Teiwa, Tidore and Mian 1103
- 31 Non-verbal predication in Nungon 1143
- 32 Non-verbal predication in Ngumpin-Yapa languages (Australia) 1169
-
Part III: Conclusion and prospects
- 33 Non-verbal predication: Results and perspectives 1213
- Subject index 1275
- Language index 1283
