Grammar

Using morphosyntax as a diagnostic tool for untangling the varied negative marking in Northwest Kainji.

A look at two constructions used for speech reporting in u̱t‑Maꞌin narrative texts and an overview of how the form of speech reporting constructions can extend beyond the bounds of the speech domain.

In this study I argue that the innovative suffix-marked nominative form is the result of reanalyzing a relative clause structure as main clause syntax. These clauses function are syntactically independent, and yet are somehow discourse dependent with limited occurrence in narrative texts.

The u̱t‑Maꞌin associative morpheme is in widespread use across different four distinct syntactic constructions. Understanding these diverse uses of the associative and the accompanying agreement marking is crucial to understanding the grammar of the language.

Exploring grammatical patterns used for quotations in narrative texts.

Exploring the morphosyntax of verbal and nonverbal predication, negation, and the extensive use of nominalization.

Bibliography Bybee, Perkins & Pagliuca (1994) Bybee, J., Perkins, R. & Pagliuca, W. (1994). The evolution of grammar: tense, aspect, and modality in the languages of the world. University of Chicago Press.

A parallel corpus of Pear Film retellings from 9 speakers, across 3 u̱t‑Maꞌin varieties.

This project focused on answering the question: “What is the distribution of verb forms in narrative discourse?”

I explore evidence for semantic cohesion and semantic assignment criteria to U̱t‑Maꞌin noun class pairings, the distribution of loanwords semantic regularities, and the distribution of verbal nouns throughout the noun classes.