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Definiteness and the domain of demonstratives in Mapuzungun (Andean peripheral). A text-approach to the neutral demonstrative fey

  • Lucía Golluscio EMAIL logo and Felipe Hasler
Published/Copyright: October 20, 2025
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STUF - Language Typology and Universals
From the journal STUF - Language Typology and Universals Volume 78 Issue 3

Abstract

From the perspective of a study of reference in discourse, this article focuses on the domain of demonstratives in Mapuzungun. After initially recognizing the basic opposition between the demonstrative formatives fa- and fe- (anchored/not anchored in the speech situation), our analysis focuses on the neutral demonstrative pronoun fey, which we define as deriving from fe-. Currently, fey indicates a third person not marked for proximity/distance. We explore its grammaticalization trajectories and synchronic functions in discourse, alone, in coalescence with the postposition mew − feymew ‘then, therefore’ − and in compounding with the demonstrative pronoun tüfa ‘this’ – fey-tüfa ‘this here’. In the stages following the loss of the deictic content in fey, we distinguish between its anaphoric and discourse-deictic uses. While in the former case, fey refers to a previously mentioned participant, in the latter, fey (also feymew ∼ feymu) either refer to precedent discourse chunks or function as connectors creating discursive cohesion. Compounded with the proximal demonstrative tüfa, a recovery of its deictic content is identified. The corpus includes texts of different genres transcribed in ELAN. The analysis considers fragments of a narrative (epew ‘story’) and a procedural text, incorporating examples from other discourses.

Keywords: Mapuzungun; demonstrative fey ; grammaticalization; anchoring; discursive functions
Corresponding author: Lucía Golluscio, Universidad de Buenos Aires & Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina, E-mail:
Annex

The text corpus

See Annex Texts 1 and 2.

Text 1:

Recipe. Chumngechi dewmangekey kako? (‘¿Cómo se hace el mote?’/ ‘How is mote made?’).a

(R001) feytüfa kiñe pichi alün kako dewmayalu, müley ñi püneael mari litru niechi pañilwe challa.
fey-tüfa kiñe pichi alün kako dewma-ya-lu,
d.ntr-d.prox indf little much mote make-fut-subj.nr
müle-y ñi püne-a-el mari litru nie-chi pañil-we challa.
be-ind[3] 3.poss use-fut-obj.nr ten liter have-adj metal-inst pot
‘Here it is. To prepare a good amount of mote, you have to use a ten-liter iron pot.’
(R002) feytüfa wüne tukulelngekey ta ko.
fey-tüfa wüne tuku-lel-nge-ke-y ta ko.
d.ntr-d.prox first put-appl2-pass-hab-ind[3] det.ntr water
‘Here it is. First you pour in the water.’
(R003) ka müley ñi tukulelngeael pichi alün trufken.
ka müle-y ñi tuku-lel-nge-a-el
also be-ind[3] 3.poss put-appl2-pass-fut-obj.nr
pichi alün trufken.
small much ash
‘You also have to add a good bit of ash.’
(R004) fey ka chunten ñi konün chi trufken, ka fenten kachilla tukulelngekey.
fey ka chunten ñi konü-n chi trufken,
d.ntr and how.much 3.poss go.in-ntr.nr det.rsm ash
ka fenten kachilla tuku-lel-nge-ke-y.
and that.much wheat put-appl2-pass-hab-ind[3]
‘Then, the amount of ash and the amount of wheat should be the same.’
(R005) fey wadkumngekey kiñe ora reke.
fey wadkum-nge-ke-y kiñe ora reke.
d.ntr boil-pass-hab-ind[3] indf hour as
‘Then, boil it for about an hour.’
(R006) fey nentungekey ka llowngekey külko mew.
fey nentu-nge-ke-y ka llow-nge-ke-y
d.ntr take.out-pass-hab-ind[3] and receive-pass-hab-ind[3]
külko mew.
basket ppos
‘Then, it is taken out and it is received in a chaigüe.’b
(R007) fey yengekey kotuwe mew ñi küchamengeael ka ñi pünomengeael namun mew.
fey ye-nge-ke-y kotu-we mew
d.ntr carry-pass-hab-ind[3] toast-inst ppos
ñi kücha-me-nge-a-el
3.poss wash-dest-pass-fut-obj.nr
ka ñi püno-me-nge-a-el namun mew.
and 3.poss step.on-dest-pass-fut-obj.nr foot ppos
‘Then, immediately it is taken to the well to wash and crush with the feet.’
(R008) feytüfa külko mew müten küme wichuwkey ñi polüf ka ñi trufken chi kachilla.
fey-tüfa külko mew müten
d.ntr-d.prox basket ppos only
küme wichu-w-ke-y ñi polüf ka
good separate-rr-hab-ind[3] 3.poss little.box and
ñi trufken chi kachilla.
3.poss ash det.rsm wheat
‘Using the chaigüe, mote is cleaned entirely [because the water penetrates it easily], separating the wheat husk from the ashes.’
[…]
(R013) fey dew kuchangeyum chi kako kotuwe mew, fey “karu kako” pingekey.
fey dew kucha-nge-yum chi kako
d.ntr already wash-pass-advr det.rsm mote
kotu-we mew fey “karu kako” pi-nge-ke-y.
toast-inst ppos d.ntr green/raw mote say-pass-hab-ind[3]
‘Then, when it is freshly washed, this mote is called “raw mote”.’
(R014) fey tüfachi karu kako ka wadkumngetukey challa mew.
fey tüfa-chi karu kako
d.ntr d.prox-adj green mote
ka wadk-üm-nge-tu-ke-y challa mew
and boil-caus-pass-appl3-hab-ind[3] pot ppos
‘Then, this raw mote is boiled in the pot.’
(R015) fey “chaytun kako” pingekey.
fey “chaytu-n kako” pi-nge-ke-y.
d.ntr strain-ntr.nr mote say-pass-hab-ind[3]
‘That is called “cooked or strained mote”.’
(R016) fey wüla kumekey ta ingeael.
fey wüla kume-ke-y ta i-nge-a-el.
d.ntr afterwards good-hab-ind[3] det.ntr eat-pass-fut-obj.nr
‘That, then, is good to be eaten.’
(R017) fey tüfachi iyael rume adumtukuniey ta lelfün mew mülechi pu domo.
fey tüfa-chi iyael rume adum-tuku-nie-y
d.ntr d.prox-adj food a.lot learn.how.to-put.on-prps-ind[3]
ta lelfün mew müle-chi pu domo.
det.ntr field ppos be-adj coll woman
‘The women from the countryside know how to prepare this type of food very well.’
(R018) feymew llemay rume duamtukefingün ti külko.
feymew llemay rume duam-tu-ke-fi-y-ngün ti külko.
then conf a.lot need-appl3-hab-3.po-ind[3]-pl det.def chaigüe
‘For this reason, the chaigüe is much needed.’
(From Harmelink 1996: 253–254; our analysis and English translation.)

  1. aSee fn.8. b Chaigüe: a kind of basket used to sift flour to make chuño (strained grated potato) and chicha (strained ground apple), as well as to tread and wash mote (peeled wheat).

Text 2:

Epew (tale). Sumpall (fragments).

[…]
(S002) kiñe rupachi famngechi ngütramkaingün.
kiñe rupachi famngechi ngütramka-y-ngün.
indf time in.this.way talk-ind[3]-pl
‘Once, this is how they talked.’
(S003) ñamürkey may kiñe nagantü kiñe küme üllcha domo miyawlu ina lafken.
ñam-ürke-y may nagantü kiñe
get.lost-rep-ind[3] aff afternoon indf
küme üllcha.domo miyaw-lu ina lafken.
good maiden wander-sbj.nr seashore.
‘One evening a beautiful maiden who was walking by the sea got lost, they say.’
(S004) feymeo, chi ngenke familia, chi chao, chi ñuke, chi pu lamngen ka chi pu karukato, kom triparkeingün kintualu kom püle.
feymeo chi ngen-ke familia chi chao
then/thus det.rsm owner-distr family det.rsm father
chi ñuke chi pu lamngen
det.rsm mother det.rsm coll brother/sister
ka chi pu karukato
conj det.rsm coll neighbour
kom tripa-rke-y-ngün kintu-a-lu kom püle.
all go.out-rep-ind-3pl search-fut-sbj.nr all direction
‘Then, they say, the relatives, the father, the mother, the brothers and sisters and the neighbours, they all went out, to search everywhere.’
(S005) welu […] perkelafingün ta chi pichi küme üllcha domo ñamkülelu.
welu […] pe-rke-la-fi-y-ngün ta chi pichi
but see-rep-neg.ind-3.po-ind-3pl det.ntr det.rsm little
küme üllcha.domo ñam-küle-lu.
good maiden get.lost-stat-sbj.nr
‘But no matter where (they went) they never saw her again, they say, the beautiful little missing maiden.’
[…]
(S008) feymeo dewma rupalu fentreñma, kiñe antü kisulerkey ruka meo chi domo ngen ñamchi küme üllcha domo püñeñ.
feymeo dewma rupa-lu fentreñma
thus almost pass-sbj.nr a.long.time
kiñe antü kisu-le-rke-y ruka meo chi domo
indf day alone-stat-rep-ind[3] house ppos det.rsm woman
ngen ñam-chi küme üllcha domo püñeñ.
owner get.lost-adj good maiden woman’s child
‘Then, when a long time had passed, one day the woman who owned [that is, the mother] the beautiful missing maiden, [her] daughter, was alone, they say, in the house.’
(S009) feychi antü rume weñangkülerkey chi ngen püñeñ.
fey-chi antü rume weñang-küle-rke-y chi ngen püñeñ.
that- adj day a.lot sad-stat-rep-ind[3] det.rsm owner woman’s child
‘That day she was very sad, they say, the owner of the daughter [that is, her mother].´
(S010) feymeo rupan antü akurumerkey ruka meo ta chi üllcha ñamkülelu.
feymeo rupan antü aku-rume-rke-y ruka meo
then after day arrive.here-sud-rep-ind[3] house ppos
ta chi üllcha ñam-küle-lu.
det.ntr det.rsm maiden get.lost-stat-sbj.nr
‘Then, when the day was waning, they say, the maiden who had disappeared suddenly arrived at the house.’
(S011) welu rumefütrakelongkongeturkey.
welu rume-fütra-ke-longko-nge-tu-rke-y.
but too.much-big-distr-hair-ess-re-rep-ind[3]
‘But, they say, she had turned into [a person with] very long hair.’
[…]
(S013) feymeo chi domo ngen püñeñ rume llükarkefuy we pefilu ta ñi püñeñ.
feymeo chi domo ngen püñeñ rume
then det.rsm woman owner woman’s child a.lot
llüka-rke-fu-y we pe-fi-lu
get.scared-rep-ri-ind[3] just see-3.po-sbj.nr
ta ñi püñeñ.
det.ntr 3.poss woman’s child
‘Then, the woman who owned her daughter was very scared, they say, when she just saw her daughter.’
(S014) welu kisu feypirkeeyeo.
welu kisu feypi-rke-e-y-eo.
but self say.in.this.way-rep-inv-ind[3]-obl[3]
‘But this was said to her by her [her daughter], they say.’
(S015) papay llükakilnge!
papay llüka-kil-nge
madam get.scared-neg.imp-imp.2sg
‘Mommy, don’t be scared!’
(S016) iñche llenoañchi ta mi püñeñ ñamkülelu
iñche llenoanchi ta mi püñeñ ñam-küle-lu
1sg part det.ntr 2sg.poss woman’s child get.lost-stat-sbj.nr
‘[Am] I not your missing daughter?’
(S017) feymeo chi domo ngen püñeñ feypirkefiy ka.
feymeo chi domo ngen püñeñ
thus det.rsm woman owner woman’s child
feypi-rke-fi-y ka
say.in.this.way-rep-3.po-ind[3] also
‘Then, the owner of the daughter said to her, they say, she in turn:
(S018) kümey ta mi akun.
küme-y ta mi aku-n.
good-ind[3] det.ntr 2sg.poss arrive.here-ntr.nr
[How] good it is that you have arrived!’
[…]
(From Salas 2006: 213–214; our analysis and English translation)

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Published Online: 2025-10-20
Published in Print: 2025-09-25

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Research Articles
  3. Determination and the expression of definiteness in indigenous languages of the Americas – an introduction
  4. The intangible demonstrative yu- in Hup
  5. Definiteness and the domain of demonstratives in Mapuzungun (Andean peripheral). A text-approach to the neutral demonstrative fey
  6. Individuation and definiteness in Santiago del Estero Quichua: implications for the structure of the nominal phrase
  7. Demonstratives and the expression of definiteness in Tapiete (Tupi-Guarani)
  8. Strategies for individuation within and beyond the noun phrase in Wichi (Mataguayan, South America)
https://doi.org/10.1515/stuf-2025-2019
Keywords for this article
Mapuzungun; demonstrative fey; grammaticalization; anchoring; discursive functions

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Research Articles
  3. Determination and the expression of definiteness in indigenous languages of the Americas – an introduction
  4. The intangible demonstrative yu- in Hup
  5. Definiteness and the domain of demonstratives in Mapuzungun (Andean peripheral). A text-approach to the neutral demonstrative fey
  6. Individuation and definiteness in Santiago del Estero Quichua: implications for the structure of the nominal phrase
  7. Demonstratives and the expression of definiteness in Tapiete (Tupi-Guarani)
  8. Strategies for individuation within and beyond the noun phrase in Wichi (Mataguayan, South America)
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