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Volume 5, Issue 2, 2024
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Loss of ergativity in Eastern Indo-Aryan languages
Author(s): Sayantani Banerjee and Biswanath Dashpp.: 187–209 (23)More LessAbstractOld Eastern Indo-Aryan stage/OEIA (900–1100 AD approx) showed split ergativity with evidence from its sole source Caryapada. New Eastern Indo-Aryan/EIA languages have lost their ergative properties (Stump, 1983; Bubenik, 1989, among others) gradually, evolving as nominative-accusative languages in the present time. The current study highlights how the Voice head in the structure is responsible for the evolution of the case system in the EIA languages. As the Voice head is intricately related to the external theta role and ergative case (Legate, 2014), it is essential to note its characteristics in the diachrony of EIA languages. This paper proposes that OEIA ergativity, seen in Caryapada, is DP-ergative, following the diagnostics of Polinsky (2016), where the Voice head assigns structural ergative to subject DP. It entails that OEIA has a distinct Voice head in its spine, which assigns the structural ergative case to the DP. The diagnostics used are agreement, A-movement, A′ movement, Binding, and coordinate structures. However, such split ergativity is not seen in the present EIA languages. This entails that the Voice head is lost. This loss led to the rise of a TP-determined structure for all tenses, leading to the emergence of the nominative alignment.
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Analysis of the Chinese passive/disposal combined-occurrence constructions
Author(s): Yue Chenpp.: 210–250 (41)More LessAbstractThis study uses Bei-Ba constructions as a case study to investigate the Chinese passive/disposal combined-occurrence constructions. By comparing the synchrony and diachrony of the Bei-Ba constructions, it is found that while ancient Bei-Ba constructions have four different types, contemporary Bei-Ba constructions expanded to include a new type (Type III). The reason why Type III Bei-Ba constructions emerged is twofold: the expansion of the scenario in which Bei-Ba constructions reside provides the possibility for the emergence of Type III Bei-Ba constructions; the need for expressing negation leads to the necessity of the emergence of Type III Bei-Ba constructions. Although contemporary Bei-Ba constructions developed a new type, the general tendency of the Bei-Ba constructions is a decrement in both type and token frequency. This process of decrement cannot be avoided by Bei-Ba constructions, because: (1) they are less competitive than similar constructions on the Information Processing Time; (2) their lower frequency further results in their decrement. Theoretically, this study has shed light on the decrement of constructions and uncovered that the two determinants are the principle of economy and frequency.
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Temporal information in sentence-final particles
Author(s): Yan Jiangpp.: 251–280 (30)More LessAbstractThis paper scrutinizes the claim that modern Shanghainese has sentence-final particles tse and keh that have tense-marking functions. We review works by Qian (2006; 2009), Chao (1926) and Li, Thompson & Thompson (1982) and analyze Shanghainese missionary texts on the use of these SFPs. Through a functional-discoursal investigation, we identify the IN-cluster use and the END-cluster use of tse. We take the temporal marking function of tse as a consequence of its discourse function, which introduces a (con)-current reference time in the discourse. On the other hand, we take keh as an assertion particle, whose occasional sense of recent past comes from its confirmation of a completed event.
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Numerals in Koracha
Author(s): Basavaraja Kodaguntipp.: 281–309 (29)More LessAbstractThe paper examines Koracha numerals to comprehend their internal structure and historical development. This study has revealed several intriguing features within Koracha, including: (1) a distinct structure in the formation of complex numerals, where some involve a conjoining morpheme, (2) the presence of two different forms for the base term ‘ten’ in the creation of higher numerals, (3) variations in the forms of numerals used independently versus those employed in compound numerals, and (4) the existence of unique forms of numerals, among other notable characteristics. An examination of the historical aspects of Koracha numerals has the potential to unveil various intriguing historical developments, including the retention of the conjoining morpheme — a possible Dravidian feature lost in other languages but preserved in Koracha. Additionally, Koracha displays two distinct forms of the numeral ‘ten’ in various complex numerals, indicating an ongoing historical shift in numeral forms.
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Cognitive, linguistic, and socio-cultural perspectives on classifier usage
Author(s): Jia Liupp.: 310–336 (27)More LessAbstractClassifiers serve as tools for exploring how individuals use languages to cognitively categorize the world within social contexts. 只 (zhī), a prevalent classifier in modern Mandarin using simplified Chinese characters, categorizes both animate and inanimate referents, with the latter lacking significant similarities in shape or function. This paper conducts a corpus-based diachronic and synchronic semantic analysis of 只 (zhī) to reveal associations among its classified referents. It discovers that canonical referents classified by 只 (zhī) in simplified Chinese writing stem from two semantic meanings: “bird” and “one out of a pair”, linked to the original meaning of 隻 (zhī) from which the classifier 只 (zhī) originates. Additionally, 只 (zhī) is creatively used in the Internet Chinese language to categorize human referents, contributing to a playful style. The study identifies how cognitive and socio-cultural factors, in addition to lexical borrowing, influence the usage of 只 (zhī), aiding in the understanding of the comprehensive motivations behind Chinese classifier usage.
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A typological study on person sensitivity in Ersu
Author(s): Sihong Zhang and Jie Chenpp.: 337–357 (21)More LessAbstractSince the “conjunct vs. disjunct” distinction was employed to describe the interaction between person and other grammatical categories or functional factors in Kathmandu Newari, the linguistic phenomenon has been widely discussed and different terms such as “self person vs. other person” and “egophoric vs. non-egophoric” distinction have also been used. However, there are always widespread parameters of variations found in specific languages. Ersu, a language quite sensitive to person distinction, is a case in point. Firstly, it not only has two different sets of first person pronouns but also has two different sets of third person pronouns. Moreover, it has differentiated person-based marking strategies of prospective, prospective, imminent and perfect aspects. Ersu not only shares some similarities with those person distinction languages, but also boasts of its own uniqueness. Therefore, we proposed to use “person sensitivity” as a more general and suitable term to describe the linguistic phenomenon in cross-languages.
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Review of Aikhenvald & Dixon (2017): Commands: A Cross-Linguistic Typology
Author(s): Chia-Jung Panpp.: 358–365 (8)More LessThis article reviews Commands: A Cross-Linguistic Typology
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Forward to the past
Author(s): Randy J. LaPolla
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Aspects of word formation processes in Luro
Author(s): Anvita Abbi and Vysakh R
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Nominal classification in Zhuang
Author(s): Yongxian Luo
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