Antarctican: Difference between revisions

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Antarctican (view source)

Revision as of 05:40, 18 February 2013

7,040 bytes removed ,  18 February 2013
Deleted section on focus constraints. More on serial verbs
(Deleted section on focus constraints. More on serial verbs)
Line 2,671: Line 2,671:
Note that sentence can only have one topic, so if the object of a transitive sentence is topicalised, then the subject cannot be (and must therefore stay in the ergative case). Hence utterances like "wùeru sowdla amielaykùe" are ungrammatical.
Note that sentence can only have one topic, so if the object of a transitive sentence is topicalised, then the subject cannot be (and must therefore stay in the ergative case). Hence utterances like "wùeru sowdla amielaykùe" are ungrammatical.


===Interaction with Focus Marking===
Antarctican has a constraint that every sentence must have focus on either one or two items. This focus falls on nouns in the sentence that are not topicalised, and verbs in the verb-focus form. It does not fall on pronouns, topicalised nouns, and verbs in the verb focus form.
====Intransitive Verbs====
If the subject of an intransitive verb is topicalised (i.e. put before the verb) or a pronoun, then that verb cannot take the noun-focus form. This is because there would no longer be anything in the sentence that is in focus. So the sentence below is ungrammatical:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| sowdla || kùevèlùun
|-
| sɔudɮa || kɨɦɥɘɦluːɴɦ
|-
| soldier.ABS || die.NFCS
|}
The soldier died (ungrammatical)
To make it grammatical, either the verb must take the verb focus form e.g.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| sowdla || kivieli-iewn
|-
| sɔudɮa || kiɥeliʔeuɴ
|-
| soldier.ABS || die.VFCS
|}
The soldier died. ("died" in in focus)
Or the noun can be de-topicalised (i.e. placed after the verb) e.g.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| kùevèlùun || sowdla
|-
| kɨɦɥɘɦluːɴɦ || sɔudɮa
|-
| die.NFCS || soldier.ABS
|}
A soldier died. ("soldier" in in focus)
Likewise, the following sentence is ungrammatical, since a verb with a subject pronoun prefix behaves in exactly the same way as a verb with a topicalised subject.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| daykùevèlùun
|-
| daikɨɦɥɘɦluːɴɦ
|-
| 3SBJ-die.NFCS
|}
He died (ungrammatical)
To make this grammatical, the verb must take the verb focus form e.g.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| daykivieli-iewn
|-
|  daikiɥeliʔeuɴ
|-
| 3SBJ-die.VFCS
|}
He died. ("die" is in focus)
There are no restrictions on topicalisation with verb-focus intransitive verbs.
====Transitive Verbs====
However, using a transitive verb in the verb focus form requires that either the subject or the object is topicalised (or a pronoun). If not, then there would be three things in the sentence in focus, which is too much. So the following utterance is ungrammatical:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| sowdlan || amielaeychu || wùerù
|-
| sɔudɮaɴ || ʔamelɛicu || wɨɦʁuɦ
|-
| soldier-ERG || hunt.VFCS || frog.ABS
|}
A soldier is hunting frogs. (ungrammatical).
To reduce the number of things in focus and make the sentence grammatical, there are several options. The first is to put the verb into the noun-focus form e.g.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| sowdlan || amielaykùe || wùerù
|-
| sɔudɮaɴ || ʔamelaikɨɦ || wɨɦʁuɦ
|-
| soldier-ERG || hunt.NFCS || frog.ABS
|}
A soldier is hunting frogs. ("soldier" and "frog" are in focus)
Or the object can be topicalised (by moving it to the front of the sentence) e.g.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| wùerù || sowdlan || amielaeychu
|-
| wɨɦʁuɦ || sɔudɮaɴ || ʔamelɛicu
|-
| frog.ABS || soldier-ERG || hunt.VFCS
|}
The frogs are being hunted by a soldier. ("soldier" and "hunt" are in focus)
Or the subject can be topicalised (by changing it into the absolutive case from the ergative) e.g.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| sowdla || amielaeychu || wùerù
|-
| sɔudɮaɴ || ʔamelɛicu || wɨɦʁuɦ
|-
| soldier.ABS || hunt.NFCS || frog.ABS
|}
The soldier is hunting frogs. ("hunt" and "frog" are in focus)
Or, the noun that is the subject can be removed from the sentence and replaced with a pronominal affix on the verb e.g.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| day-amielaychu || wùerù
|-
| daiʔamelɛicu || wɨɦʁuɦ
|-
| 3SBJ-hunt.VFCS || frog.ABS
|}
He is hunting frogs. ("hunt" and "frog" are in focus)
It is possible to use two of the above strategies together, to generate sentences with the focus on one thing e.g.
Putting the verb into the noun-focus form and topicalising the object:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| wùerù || sowdlan || amielaykùe
|-
| wɨɦʁuɦ || sɔudɮaɴ || ʔamelaikɨɦ
|-
| frog.ABS || soldier-ERG || hunt.NFCS
|}
The frogs are being hunted by a soldier. ("soldier" is in focus)
Putting the verb into the noun-focus form and using a pronoun for the subject:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| day-amielaykùe || wùerù
|-
| daiʔamelaikɨɦ || wɨɦʁuɦ
|-
| 3SBJ-hunt.NFCS || frog.ABS
|}
He is hunting frogs. ("frog" is in focus)
Topicalising the object and using a pronoun for the subject.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| wùerù || day-amielaeychu
|-
| wɨɦʁuɦ || daiʔamelɛicu
|-
| frog.ABS || 3SBJ-hunt.VFCS
|}
The frogs are being hunted. ("hunt" is in focus)
Note that it is not possible to combine all three strategies (using a subject pronominal prefix on a transitive verb in the noun-focus form with the object topicalised) If so, then there would be nothing in the sentence that is in focus. So the following sentence is ungrammatical:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| wùerù || day-amielaeychu
|-
| wɨɦʁuɦ || daiʔamelaikɨɦ ||
|-
| frog.ABS || 3SBJ-hunt.VFCS
|}
He is hunting frogs (ungrammatical)


===Topicalisation and Possession===
===Topicalisation and Possession===
Line 2,992: Line 2,784:
|}
|}
The soldier got sick and died.
The soldier got sick and died.
If the subject is a pronoun, then it must be marked on each verb e.g.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| wibyuowchi-i || wuekivieli-iewn
|-
| wibʲouciʔi || wɨkiɥeliʔeuɴ
|-
| 1PS.INC.SUBJ.FUT-sick.VFCS || 1PS.INC.SUBJ.FUT-die.VFCS
|}
We (including you) will get sick and die.
However, all intransitive verbs except the first must be in verb focus form, so the following sentence is ungrammatical:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| byuowchi-i || sowdla  || kùevèlùun
|-
| bʲouciʔi || sɔudɮa || kɨɦɥɘɦluːɴɦ
|-
| sick.VFCS || soldier.ABS || die.NFCS
|}
The soldier got sick and died. (ungrammatical)
Though the first verb can be in the noun focus form e.g.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| byuowkùe || sowdla  || kivieli-iewn
|-
| bʲoukɨɦ|| sɔudɮa || kiɥeliʔeuɴ
|-
| sick.NFCS || soldier.ABS || die.VFCS
|}
The soldier got sick and died.
However the constraint against intransitive verbs in the noun focus form when the subject is topicalised still applies, so the following sentence is ungrammatical:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| sowdla || byuowkùe || kivieli-iewn
|-
| sɔudɮa || bʲoukɨɦ || kiɥeliʔeuɴ
|-
| soldier.ABS || sick.NFCS|| die.VFCS
|}
The soldier got sick and died. (ungrammatical)




Line 3,065: Line 2,802:
====Transitive Verbs====
====Transitive Verbs====


It is also perfectly possible to use transitive verbs in serial verb constructions, subject to the constraint that all of the verbs share the same '''absolutive argument''' (i.e. object for transitive verbs, subject for intransitive verbs). Take the following sentence:
It is also perfectly possible to use transitive verbs in serial verb constructions, subject to the constraint that all of the verbs share the same noun '''absolutive argument''' (i.e. object for transitive verbs, subject for intransitive verbs). Take the following sentence:




Line 3,121: Line 2,858:




Notice here how the verb meaning "to bite" now takes the verb focus form. This is because it is now intransitive, and Antarctican has a constraint against intransitive verbs taking the noun-focus form when the subject is topicalised. So the following sentence is ungrammatical:
======Patient Re-introduction======
If we want to re-introduce the frog into the sentence, it needs to come after both the antipassivised verb and the subject, take the ergative case, and be followed by the oblique marker '''nyùe''' e.g.




{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
| sowdla || 'kúowròemùesè || kivieli-iewn
| 'kúowròemùe || sowdla || wùerùgin || `nyùe || kivieli-iewn
|-
|-
| sɔudɮa || kouʔʁɜɦmɨɦsɘɦ || kiɥeliʔeuɴ
| kouʔʁɜɦmɨɦ || sɔudɮa || wɨɦʁuɦgiɴ || ɲɨɦ || kiɥeliʔeuɴ
|-
|-
| soldier.ABS || <PFV.AP>bite.NFCS || die.VFCS
| <PFV.AP>bite.NFCS || soldier.ABS || frog-ERG || OBL || die.VFCS
|}
|}
The soldier bit it and died (ungrammatical).
A soldier bit a frog and died.




If the verb focus form is to be used, the subject must be de-topicalised by moving it to after the verb e.g.
The (now absolutive) argument of the verb can be topicalised by putting it at the front of the sentence e.g.




{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
| 'kúowròemùesè || sowdla || kivieli-iewn
| sowdla || 'kúowròemùesè || wùerùgin || `nyùe || kivieli-iewn
|-
|-
| kou&#660;&#641;&#604;&#614;m&#616;&#614;s&#600;&#614; || s&#596;ud&#622;a || ki&#613;eli&#660;eu&#628;
| s&#596;ud&#622;a || kou&#660;&#641;&#604;&#614;m&#616;&#614;s&#600;&#614; || w&#616;&#614;&#641;u&#614;gi&#628; || &#626;&#616;&#614; || ki&#613;eli&#660;eu&#628;
|-
|-
| <PFV.AP>bite.VFCS || soldier.ABS || die.VFCS
| soldier.ABS || <PFV.AP>bite.VFCS || frog-ERG || OBL || die.VFCS
|}
|}
A soldier bit it and died.
The soldier bit a frog and died.




======Patient Re-introduction======
However, the noun that was re-introduced with `nyùe cannot be topicalised, so the following sentence is ungrammatical:
If we want to re-introduce the frog into the sentence, it needs to come after both the antipassivised verb and the subject, take the ergative case, and be followed by the oblique marker '''nyùe''' e.g.




{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
| 'kúowròemùe || sowdla || wùerùgin || `nyùe || kivieli-iewn
| wùerùgin || `nyùe || sowdla || 'kúowròemùesè || kivieli-iewn
|-
|-
| kou&#660;&#641;&#604;&#614;m&#616;&#614; || s&#596;ud&#622;a || w&#616;&#614;&#641;u&#614;gi&#628; || &#626;&#616;&#614; || ki&#613;eli&#660;eu&#628;
| w&#616;&#614;&#641;u&#614;gi&#628; || &#626;&#616;&#614; || s&#596;ud&#622;a || kou&#660;&#641;&#604;&#614;m&#616;&#614;s&#600;&#614; || ki&#613;eli&#660;eu&#628;
|-
|-
| <PFV.AP>bite.NFCS || soldier.ABS || frog-ERG || OBL || die.VFCS
| frog-ERG || OBL || soldier.ABS || <PFV.AP>bite.VFCS || die.VFCS
|}
|}
A soldier bit a frog and died.
The soldier bit a frog and died. (ungrammatical)
 


====Subject Pronominal Affixes===


Since the verb meaning "to bite" is in the antipassive voice and no longer transitive, it is free from the contrainst against transitive verbs taking the verb-focus form while having both subject and object untopicalised. So the following sentence is grammatical:
Pronouns must be marked by prefixes on every single verb that they are the subject of in a serial verb construction e.g.




{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
| 'kúowròemùesè || sowdla || wùerùgin || `nyùe || kivieli-iewn
| wuebyuowchi-i || wuekivieli-iewn
|-
|-
| kou&#660;&#641;&#604;&#614;m&#616;&#614;s&#600;&#614; || s&#596;ud&#622;a || w&#616;&#614;&#641;u&#614;gi&#628; || &#626;&#616;&#614; || ki&#613;eli&#660;eu&#628;
| w&#616;b&#690;ouci&#660;i || w&#616;ki&#613;eli&#660;eu&#628;
|-
|-
| <PFV.AP>bite.VFCS || soldier.ABS || frog-ERG || OBL || die.VFCS
| 1PS.INC.SUBJ.FUT-sick.VFCS || 1PS.INC.SUBJ.FUT-die.VFCS
|}
|}
A soldier bit a frog and died.
We (including you) will get sick and die.




The (now absolutive) argument of the verb is topicalised by putting it at the front of the sentence e.g.
With transitive verbs, there is no need for antipassivisation if the subject is a pronoun e.g.




{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
| sowdla || 'kúowròemùesè || wùerùgin || `nyùe || kivieli-iewn
| wuekiròemùe || wùerù || wuekivieli-iewn
|-
|-
| s&#596;ud&#622;a || kou&#660;&#641;&#604;&#614;m&#616;&#614;s&#600;&#614; || w&#616;&#614;&#641;u&#614;gi&#628; || &#626;&#616;&#614; || ki&#613;eli&#660;eu&#628;
| w&#616;ki&#641;&#604;&#614;m&#616;&#614; || w&#616;&#614;&#641;u&#614; || w&#616;ki&#613;eli&#660;eu&#628;
|-
|-
| soldier.ABS || <PFV.AP>bite.VFCS || frog-ERG || OBL || die.VFCS
| 1PS.INC.SUBJ.FUT- bite.VFCS || frog.ABS || 1PS.INC.SUBJ.FUT-die.VFCS
|}
|}
The soldier bit a frog and died.
We (including you) will bite a frog and die.




However, even though the frog has been re-introduced into the sentence, the verb meaning "to bite" is still intransitive, and is thus subject to the constraint against intransitive verbs taking the noun focus form if their subject is topicalised. So the sentence below is not grammatical:
Leaving the pronominal prefix off a verb in a serial verb construction means that that pronoun is no longer the subject of that verb. This changes the meaning entirely e.g.




{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
| sowdla || 'kúowròemùe || wùerùgin || `nyùe || kivieli-iewn
| wuekiròemùe || wùerù || kivieli-iewn
|-
|-
| s&#596;ud&#622;a || kou&#660;&#641;&#604;&#614;m&#616;&#614; || w&#616;&#614;&#641;u&#614;gi&#628; || &#626;&#616;&#614; || ki&#613;eli&#660;eu&#628;
| w&#616;ki&#641;&#604;&#614;m&#616;&#614; || w&#616;&#614;&#641;u&#614; || ki&#613;eli&#660;eu&#628;
|-
|-
| soldier.ABS || <PFV.AP>bite.NFCS || frog-ERG || OBL || die.VFCS
| 1PS.INC.SUBJ.FUT- bite.VFCS || frog.ABS || 1PS.INC.SUBJ.FUT-die.VFCS
|}
|}
The soldier bit a frog and died. (ungrammatical)
We (including you) will bite a frog and it will die.
 


Note that, if a transitive verb takes a subject pronominal affix, then it can never take antipassive voice.


[[Category:Languages]][[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Languages]][[Category:Conlangs]]
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