Chapter 4
The development of referential hierarchy effects in
Sahaptian
Spike Gildea | Department of Linguistics, University of
Oregon
Joana Jansen | Northwest Indian Language Institute, University of
Oregon
Sahaptin and Nez Perce, the two languages of the Sahaptian family,
have both been cited as case studies in the typological literature
on hierarchical patterns in main clause grammar. Nez Perce has
ergative case marking on only third person singular transitive
subjects, plus a minor pattern of indexation of SAP participants via
(rarely occurring) second position enclitics. Sahaptin has one of
the more complex hierarchical systems ever described, with SAP
indexation via enclitics, third person indexation on verbs,
differential object marking, an inverse verbal direction prefix, and
two distinct ergative suffixes, each restricted to a subset of third
person singular transitive subjects (one when objects are SAP, the
other when objects are third person). This paper begins by
reviewing, evaluating, and occasionally expanding on existing
knowledge: we summarize the hierarchical patterns in Sahaptian and characterize each distinct construction. Then we compare relevant Sahaptin
morphemes with cognates in Nez Perce, and review their
reconstruction to Proto-Sahaptian. The primary contribution of this
paper is organizing the morphemes (and their accompanying
hierarchical patterns) in both languages into cognate
constructions, then reconstructing each to its
Proto-Sahaptian origins. We conclude by reviewing and evaluating
proposals for Pre-Proto-Sahaptian developments claimed to explain
the origins of hierarchical patterns that reconstruct to
Proto-Sahaptian. The mechanisms we identify as having created the
Sahaptian hierarchical effects are diverse, some motivated and
others not, some arising from internal sources, others arguably from
contact.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction: The Sahaptian language family and its hierarchical
patterns
- 2.Previously described hierarchies in Sahaptin
- 2.1Hierarchical patterns in Sahaptin
- 2.1.1Intransitive clauses
- 2.1.2Mixed direct quadrant
- 2.1.3Local quadrant
- 2.1.4
Mixed inverse quadrant
- 2.1.5Nonlocal quadrant
- 2.2
Aligning the morphemes and constructions
- 2.2.1Coding arguments: Morphology
- 2.2.2Coding arguments: Constructions
- 3.Reconstructing hierarchical morphology to Proto-Sahaptian
- 3.1Enclitics
- 3.2Verbal indexation
- 3.3Case marking
- 4.Reconstructing the main clause constructions of
Proto-Sahaptian
- 4.1Reconstructing the Proto-Sahaptian direct,
local, and inverse quadrants
- 4.1.1Enclitics
- 4.1.2Verbal prefixes
- 4.1.3Case markers
- 4.2
Reconstructing the Proto-Sahaptian nonlocal
quadrant
- 4.2.1The *nonlocal direct construction
- 4.2.2The *3pl.A direct and
*3pl.O inverse constructions
- 4.2.3
The *nonlocal inverse construction
- 4.2.4Summary of nonlocal constructions
- 5.Discussion: The sources of hierarchical patterns in the Sahaptian
family
- 5.1
Pronouns and verbal indexation
- 5.2Case marking
- 5.3Passive to inverse
- 5.4Contact and pattern copying
- 5.5In lieu of a conclusion
-
Appendix
-
Notes
-
References
References
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