Comparative Cariban morphosyntax: on the genesis of ergativity in independent clauses (Gildea 1992)

Autor:	Gildea, Spike Lawrence Owen
Data:	1992
Título:	Comparative Cariban morphosyntax: on the genesis of ergativity in independent clauses
Detalhes:	Orientação: Doris L. Payne Ph.D., University of Oregon

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Arquivo enviado pelo autor em março de 2019

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Resumo

In this dissertation, I compare the grammar of 19 Cariban languages and then reconstruct certain elements of the Proto Cariban verbal and nominal systems. Two different verbal systems have been described in modem Cariban languages: one is nominative-accusative and the other ergative-absolutive. The ergative-absolutive system occurs in subordinate clauses in all Cariban languages; however, in main clauses, some languages use exclusively the nominative-accusative system, some use exclusively the ergative-absolutive system, and some use a combination of the two. It has been suggested in previous studies that Proto Cariban used the ergative-absolutive system in both main and subordinate clauses, and that the nominative-accusative system in main clauses is a later innovation. However, based on a larger sample of languages, and with more rigorous methodology, I conclude that Proto Cariban main clauses utilized the nominative-accusative system; in a limited subset of Cariban languages, the subordinate clause ergative system has invaded main clauses, in some cases coexisting with remnants of the historical system, but in other cases completely replacing the historical system.

A large part of this dissertation is devoted to explaining and documenting the mechanism by which subordinate clause grammar is allowed into main clauses. The subordinate clauses first occur as adverbials to or complements of either a copula or a main clause aspectua/modal verb (e.g. 'finish',want'). The biclausal construction is then reanalyzed as monoclausal, with the etymological main verb becoming an auxiliary and the etymological complement/adverbial verb becoming the new main verb. During the course of this evolution, the newly reanalyzed main clause verbal system may co-exist with remnants of the older finite verbal system. Since the currently accepted theoretical notion of "finite verb" is restricted to a single verbal system in any given language, these data force a reconsideration of the theoretical notion "finite verb". Also, it has been claimed that modern ergative systems can be reconstructed exclusively to passive constructions. This study refutes this simplistic notion, and proposes a more realistic alternative scenario for the development of ergativity cross-linguistically.

Detalhes

Arquivo enviado pelo autor em março de 2019

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