1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Diachronica
  4. Volume 37, Issue 2
  5. Article
Volume 37, Issue 2
  • ISSN 0176-4225
  • E-ISSN: 1569-9714
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

A number of indigenous languages of northern Australia have complex systems of noun class prefixation incorporating the formal realization of case or topicality, as well as class. The markers of case and topicality occur inside the marking of class, in an unexpected position according to considerations of scope. In addition, where case is marked, zero marking is associated with oblique case roles while core roles are associated with substantive marking; again, an unexpected pattern given universals of case expression. We present evidence for the diachronic development of these noun class prefixation systems from an older system of demonstratives prefixed for class via a grammaticalization path: demonstrative > topic article > topic prefix. The class/topic prefixes then developed into class/case-marking prefixes through frequency correlations between topic, case, animacy and humanness. All stages in our reconstructed pathway are attested by extant languages.

© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/dia.18048.bak
2020-04-10
2024-12-12

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/dia.18048.bak
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Aissen, J.
    2003 Differential object marking: Iconicity vs. economy. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory21. 435–483. 10.1023/A:1024109008573
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024109008573 [Google Scholar]
  2. Austin, P.
    2001 Zero arguments in Jiwarli, Western Australia. Australian Journal of Linguistics21. 83–98. 10.1080/07268600120042471
     https://doi.org/10.1080/07268600120042471 [Google Scholar]
  3. Baker, B.
    2004 Stem forms and paradigm reshaping in Gunwinyguan. InC. Bowern & H. Koch (eds.), Australian languages: Classification and the comparative method, by313–340. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/cilt.249.18bak
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.249.18bak [Google Scholar]
  4. 2008a The interpretation of complex nominal expressions in Southeast Arnhem Land languages. InB. Baker & I. Mushin (eds.), Discourse and grammar in Australian languages, 135–166. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/slcs.104.09bak
     https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.104.09bak [Google Scholar]
  5. 2008b Word structure in NgalakganStanford: CSLI.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. 2014 Word structure in Australian languages. InH. Koch & R. Nordlinger (eds.), The languages and linguistics of Australia: A comprehensive guide, 139–213. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. 10.1515/9783110279771.139
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110279771.139 [Google Scholar]
  7. Baker, M.
    1985 The mirror principle and morphosyntactic explanation. Linguistic Inquiry16. 373–415.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Bickel, B., B. Comrie & M. Haspelmath
    2008 The Leipzig glossing rules: Conventions for interlinear morpheme by morpheme glosses. Leipzig.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Bybee, J.
    1985 Morphology: A study of the relation between form and meaning. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/tsl.9
     https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.9 [Google Scholar]
  10. 2006 From usage to grammar: The mind’s response to repetition. Language82. 711–733. 10.1353/lan.2006.0186
     https://doi.org/10.1353/lan.2006.0186 [Google Scholar]
  11. Carew, M.
    2017 A grammar of Gun-nartpa. Unpublished ms.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Chadwick, N.
    1978 The West Barkly languages: Complex morphology. Monash University, Doctoral dissertation.
  13. Crysmann, B. & O. Bonami
    2016 Variable morphotactics in information-based morphology. Journal of Linguistics52. 311–374. 10.1017/S0022226715000018
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022226715000018 [Google Scholar]
  14. Dalrymple, M. & I. Nikolaeva
    2011 Objects and information structure. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511993473
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511993473 [Google Scholar]
  15. De Mulder, W. & A. Carlier
    2011 The grammaticalization of definite articles. InH. Narrog & B. Heine (eds.), The Oxford handbook of grammaticalization, 522–534. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Diessel, H.
    1999 Demonstratives: Form, function and grammaticalization. Amsterdam: John Benjamin. 10.1075/tsl.42
     https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.42 [Google Scholar]
  17. Dixon, R. M. W.
    2002 Australian languages: Their nature and development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511486869
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511486869 [Google Scholar]
  18. van Egmond, Marie-Elaine
    2012 Enindhilyakwa phonology, morphosyntax, and genetic position. University of Sydney, Doctoral dissertation.
  19. Evans, N.
    2003 Bininj Gunwok: A pan-dialectal grammar of Mayali, Kunwinjku and Kune. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Fletcher, J. & A. Butcher
    2014 Sound patterns of Australian languages. InH. Koch & R. Nordlinger (eds.), The languages and linguistics of Australia: A comprehensive guide, 91–138. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. 10.1515/9783110279771.91
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110279771.91 [Google Scholar]
  21. Givón, T.
    1971 Historical syntax and synchronic morphology: An archaeologist’s field trip. Papers from the regional meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society7. 394–415.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Glasgow, K.
    1984 Burarra word classes. InK. Glasgow, A. Capell, G. McKay, R. Kennedy & D. Trefry (eds.), Papers in Australian linguistics No. 16, 1–54. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Green, R.
    1995 A grammar of Gurr-goni (North Central Arnhem Land). Australian National University, Doctoral dissertation.
  24. 2003 Proto-Maningrida within Proto-Arnhem: Evidence from verbal inflectional suffixes. InN. Evans (ed.), The Non-Pama-Nyungan languages of northern Australia: Comparative studies in the continent’s most linguistically complex region, 353–367. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Greenberg, J. H.
    1963 Some universals of grammar with particular reference to the order of meaningful elements. InJ. H. Greenberg (ed.), Universals of language: Report of a conference held at Dobbs Ferry, New York, April 13–15, 1961. Cambridge: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. 1978 How does a language acquire gender markers. InJ. H. Greenberg, C. A. Ferguson & E. A. Moravczik (eds.), Universals of human language, 47–82. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Gundel, J. & T. Fretheim
    2004 Topic and focus. InL. Horn & G. Ward (eds.), The handbook of pragmatics, 175–196. Oxford: Blackwell.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Haig, G. & S. Schnell
    2014 Annotations using GRAID (Grammatical Relations and Animacy in Discourse): Introduction and guidelines for annotators. Version 7.0. Online: https://lac.uni-koeln.de/en/multi-cast-annotations-background-and-resources/. Bamberg University and La Trobe University, Melbourne [unpublished ms].
  29. Hamilton, P.
    1996 Phonetic constraints and markedness in the phonotactics of Australian Aboriginal languages. University of Toronto, Doctoral dissertation.
  30. Harvey, M.
    2003a An initial reconstruction of Proto-Gunwinyguan phonology. InN. Evans (ed.), The Non-Pama-Nyungan languages of northern Australia: Comparative studies in the continent’s most linguistically complex region, 205–268. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. 2003b Reconstruction of pronominals among the Non-Pama-Nyungan languages. InN. Evans (ed.), The Non-Pama-Nyungan languages of northern Australia: Comparative studies of the continent’s most linguistically complex region, 475–513. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Harvey, M. & R. Mailhammer
    2017 Reconstructing remote relationships: Proto-Australian noun class prefixation. Diachronica34. 470–515. 10.1075/dia.15032.har
     https://doi.org/10.1075/dia.15032.har [Google Scholar]
  33. Harvey, M. & N. Reid
    (eds) 1997 Nominal classification in Aboriginal Australia (Studies in Language Companion Series. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/slcs.37
     https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.37 [Google Scholar]
  34. Heath, J.
    1978a Linguistic diffusion in Arnhem Land. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.
     [Google Scholar]
  35. 1978b Ngandi grammar, texts, and dictionary. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.
     [Google Scholar]
  36. 1980a Basic materials in Warndarang: Grammar, texts and dictionary. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. 1980b Nunggubuyu myths and ethnographic texts. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.
     [Google Scholar]
  38. 1981 Basic materials in Mara: Grammar, texts and dictionary. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  39. 1984 A functional grammar of Nunggubuyu. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.
     [Google Scholar]
  40. 1987 Story of *-n-: *CV- vs CV-n- noun-class prefixes in Australian languages. InD. Laycock & W. Winter (eds.), A world of language: Papers presented to Professor S. A. Wurm on his 65th birthday, 233–243. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  41. Himmelmann, N.
    1996 Demonstratives in narrative discourse: A taxonomy of universal uses. InB. Fox (ed.), Studies in anaphora, 205–254. Amsterdam: Benjamins. 10.1075/tsl.33.08him
     https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.33.08him [Google Scholar]
  42. Kimball, G.
    1991 Koasati grammar. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  43. König, C.
    2008 Marked nominatives. InA. Malchukov & A. Spencer (eds.), The Oxford handbook of case (535–548). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  44. Kripke, S.
    1980 Naming and necessity. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  45. Louagie, D.
    2017 The status of determining elements in Australian languages. Australian Journal of Linguistics37. 182–218. 10.1080/07268602.2017.1239524
     https://doi.org/10.1080/07268602.2017.1239524 [Google Scholar]
  46. Manova, S. & M. Aronoff
    2010 Modeling affix order. Morphology20. 109–131. 10.1007/s11525‑010‑9153‑6
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s11525-010-9153-6 [Google Scholar]
  47. McKay, G.
    2011 Rembarrnga, a language of central Arnhem Land. Munich: Lincom Europa.
     [Google Scholar]
  48. Merlan, F.
    1983 Ngalakan grammar, texts and vocabulary. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  49. Mithun, M.
    2011 Grammaticalization and explanation. InH. Narrog & B. Heine (eds.), The Oxford handbook of grammaticalization, 177–192. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  50. Mushin, I. & B. Baker
    (eds.) 2008 Discourse and grammar in Australian languages (Studies in Language Companion Series 104). Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 10.1075/slcs.104
     https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.104 [Google Scholar]
  51. Nordlinger, R.
    1998 A grammar of Wambaya, Northern Territory (Australia). Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
     [Google Scholar]
  52. Portner, P. & K. Yabushita
    2001 Specific indefinites and the information structure theory of topics. Journal of Semantics. 18. 271–297. 10.1093/jos/18.3.271
     https://doi.org/10.1093/jos/18.3.271 [Google Scholar]
  53. Reinhart, T.
    1982 Pragmatics and linguistics: An analysis of sentence topics. Philosophica278. 53–94.
     [Google Scholar]
  54. Rice, K.
    2000 Morpheme order and semantic scope: Word formation in the Athapaskan verbCambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511663659
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511663659 [Google Scholar]
  55. 2011 Principles of affix ordering: An overview. Word Structure4. 169–200. 10.3366/word.2011.0009
     https://doi.org/10.3366/word.2011.0009 [Google Scholar]
  56. Sands, K.
    1995 Nominal classification in Australia. Anthropological Linguistics37. 247–346.
     [Google Scholar]
  57. Silverstein, M.
    1976 Hierarchy of features and ergativity. InR. M. W. Dixon (ed.), Grammatical categories in Australian languages, 112–171. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.
     [Google Scholar]
  58. Simpson, J. & M. Withgott
    1986 Pronominal clitic clusters and templates. InH. Borer (ed.), Syntax and semantics 19: The syntax of pronominal clitics, 149–174. New York: Academic. 10.1163/9789004373150_008
     https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004373150_008 [Google Scholar]
  59. Singer, R.
    2006 Agreement in Mawng: Productive and lexicalised uses of agreement in an Australian language. University of Melbourne, Doctoral dissertation.
  60. 2016 The dynamics of nominal classification: Productive and lexicalised uses of gender agreement in Mawng. Berlin: De Gruyter. 10.1515/9781614513698
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9781614513698 [Google Scholar]
  61. Spencer, A.
    2003 Putting some order into morphology: Reflections on Rice (2000) and Stump (2001). Journal of Linguistics39. 621–646. 10.1017/S0022226703002123
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022226703002123 [Google Scholar]
  62. 2013 Lexical relatedness: A paradigm-based model. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199679928.001.0001
     https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199679928.001.0001 [Google Scholar]
  63. Stump, G. T.
    2001 Inflectional morphology: A theory of paradigm structure. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511486333
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511486333 [Google Scholar]
  64. Zimmermman, M. & E. Onea
    2011 Focus marking and focus interpretation. Lingua121. 1651–1670. 10.1016/j.lingua.2011.06.002
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2011.06.002 [Google Scholar]
  65. Zipf, G. K.
    1929 Relative frequency as a determinant of phonetic change. Harvard Studies in Classical Philology40. 1–95. 10.2307/310585
     https://doi.org/10.2307/310585 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/dia.18048.bak
Loading
Anti-scope prefix order and zero-marked obliques
Diachronica 37, 133 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1075/dia.18048.bak
/content/journals/10.1075/dia.18048.bak
/content/journals/10.1075/dia.18048.bak
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): Australian languages; case; gender; grammaticalization; noun class; prefixation; prefix stacking; topic

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error