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Volume 50, Issue 1
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Abstract

Abstract

The paper explores exceptive constructions (e.g., ) in Huasteca Nahuatl (Uto-Aztecan). It is shown that connected and free exceptives have developed intriguing discourse-pragmatic functions that have not been identified by previous studies. While connected exceptives (e.g., ) indicate a surprising situation, free exceptives (e.g., ) signal a non-surprising situation. It is argued that exceptive markers play an important role in the expression of these functions and it is demonstrated that the order of the exceptive phrase with respect to its associate and its relation to surprising and non-surprising situations can be explained by a syntactic iconic mechanism: the principle of adjacency. It is shown that Huasteca Nahuatl borrowed exceptive markers from Mexican Spanish. However, the discourse-pragmatic functions of exceptive constructions are an internally motivated development in Huasteca Nahuatl that cannot be attributed to Mexican Spanish.

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2025-09-19
2026-04-15

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Exceptive constructions in Huasteca Nahuatl
Studies in Language. International Journal sponsored by the Foundation “Foundations of Language” 50, 206 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.25009.olg
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): discourse; Exceptive constructions; iconicity; language contact; typology

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