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Part of
Topics in Theoretical Asian Linguistics: Studies in honor of John B. Whitman
Edited by Kunio Nishiyama, Hideki Kishimoto and Edith Aldridge
[Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today 250] 2018
► pp. 207–226

Chapter 10
Possessive nominal phrases in Lamaholot

| Ibaraki University

This paper analyzes the synchrony and diachrony of possessive noun phrases in Lamaholot (Austronesian). On the assumption that the clause architecture and the nominal architecture are parallel, the loss of verb movement at the clausal level (Aldridge 2010) is argued to be equivalent to the loss of movement of NP at the nominal level. This captures the possessor – possessed order in languages in eastern Indonesia (including Lamaholot), as opposed to the possessed – possessor order in western Indonesia. Lamaholot also has the possessed – possessor order, and this involves focus movement of NP. The complementary distribution of a genitive pronoun and a nominal suffix is accounted for by contextual allomorphy. As driving force of word order change, an internal factor (within Austronesian) and an external factor (contact with Papuan languages) are suggested.

Keywords: Austronesian, Lamaholot, possessives, word order, focus, allomorphy, language contact, Papuan languages
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction: The Austronesian word order
  • 2.The Lamaholot language and its clausal and nominal architectures
  • 3.Prenominal possessors
  • 4.Postnominal possessors, focus movement, and contextual allomorphy
  • 5.Diachrony and the role of language contact
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgment
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 12 December 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.250.11nis
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