Work

Lexical restrictions on grammatical relations in voice constructions (Northern Amis)

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: Amis (Austronesian, Taiwan) displays a rich, partly symmetrical voice system and a split case-marking pattern which are selected and restricted by (i) verb classes whose basic diathesis correlates with semantic properties such as activities versus states, and (ii) by Aktionsart features (i.e., atelic activities versus telic accomplishment and achievements), which also denote degrees of patient affectedness. Referential features such as patient definiteness, and semantic features such as agent’s animacy and intentionality also bear on voice selection. This voice system offers alternate ways of encoding arguments within a bipartite case-marking pattern; it also promotes peripheral, non-core arguments to subject function via applicative voice constructions.

Source: Language Typology and Universals

DOI: 10.1515/stuf-2022-1048

Author: Isabelle Bril

Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, École Pratique des Hautes Études

Language: English

Topic: Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation

Subfield: Language and Linguistics

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: Agence Nationale de la Recherche

Awards: Empirical Foundations of Linguistics : data, methods, models, Université de Paris