Anti-scope prefix order and zero-marked obliques

Unusual outcomes of a grammaticalization pathway

Dados Bibliográficos

ID20344773
AutoresBrett Baker (0000-0002-7012-4442, The University of Melbourne), Mark Harvey (0000-0001-9901-9921)
Ano2020
Volume37
Fascículo2
Páginas133-177
Data de publicação2020-07-15
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoDiachronica (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0176-4225 • E-ISSN: 1569-9714
EditoraJohn Benjamins Publishing Company (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1075/dia.18048.bak
OpenAlexW3016206846
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas33

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

Animacy · Demonstrative · Grammaticalization · Linguistics · Prefix · Computer Science · History · Language and cultural evolution · Linguistic Variation and Morphology · Philosophy · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation · Artificial Intelligence