Strategies for individuation within and beyond the noun phrase in Wichi (Mataguayan, South America)
-
Mayra Juanatey
,
Verónica Nercesian
Abstract
This study explores the structural strategies to express participant individuation in Wichi (Mataguayan). Individuation is understood as the discursive operation that transforms a generic or non-referential concept into a contextually anchored referent, making it trackable within discourse. Drawing on a referential framework that views reference as a mental and communicative operation between interlocutors, the study focuses on how Wichi introduces new referents using bare common nouns devoid of explicit individuation markers within the noun phrase. The analysis reveals that individuation strategies in Wichi may extend beyond the noun phrase into relative clauses, juxtaposed clauses, and even across sentence boundaries. It also explores the role of anaphoric and inter-referent relations in individuation strategies. Methodologically, the study employs qualitative-quantitative analysis of a textual corpus source from primary fieldwork data.
Abbreviations
- #
-
beginning of clause inside a sentence
- %
-
end of clause inside a sentence
- 001, 002
-
referent number ID
- 1
-
first person
- 2
-
second person
- 3
-
third person
- appl
-
applicative
- ben
-
benefactive
- clf1
-
possessive classifier (general)
- clf2
-
possessive classifier (domestic animal)
- cont
-
continuous
- cop
-
copula
- dem
-
demonstrative
- distr
-
distributive
- emp
-
emphatic
- exist
-
existential
- foc
-
focus
- fut
-
future
- ic
-
noun incorporation closer
- incl
-
inclusive
- indf
-
indefinite
- irr
-
irrealis
- iter
-
iterative
- loc
-
locative
- n
-
noun
- nvis
-
nonvisual
- np
-
noun phrase
- obj
-
object
- pl
-
plural
- poss
-
possessive
- pro
-
free pronoun
- pst
-
past
- real
-
realis
- rec
-
recent
- rem
-
remote
- sbj
-
subject
- vert
-
vertical
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Research Articles
- Determination and the expression of definiteness in indigenous languages of the Americas – an introduction
- The intangible demonstrative yu- in Hup
- Definiteness and the domain of demonstratives in Mapuzungun (Andean peripheral). A text-approach to the neutral demonstrative fey
- Individuation and definiteness in Santiago del Estero Quichua: implications for the structure of the nominal phrase
- Demonstratives and the expression of definiteness in Tapiete (Tupi-Guarani)
- Strategies for individuation within and beyond the noun phrase in Wichi (Mataguayan, South America)
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Research Articles
- Determination and the expression of definiteness in indigenous languages of the Americas – an introduction
- The intangible demonstrative yu- in Hup
- Definiteness and the domain of demonstratives in Mapuzungun (Andean peripheral). A text-approach to the neutral demonstrative fey
- Individuation and definiteness in Santiago del Estero Quichua: implications for the structure of the nominal phrase
- Demonstratives and the expression of definiteness in Tapiete (Tupi-Guarani)
- Strategies for individuation within and beyond the noun phrase in Wichi (Mataguayan, South America)
