The creation ofa GNMCC in Sirva

Don Daniels • May 13, 2016 • APLL8

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Kelly Amansi, 1956–2015

3Outline

What’s a GNMCC? Sirva GNMCCs The Sogeram family Sogeram topicalization Sogeram subordination Putting it all together Conclusion

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What’s a GNMCC?GNMCC’S • SIRVA • SOGERAM • TOPICS • SUBORDINATION • SUMMARY • CONCLUSION

5What’s a GNMCC?

General Noun-Modifying Clause Construction The concept was first proposed to account for

facts about Japanese “relative” clauses (Matsumoto 1988, 1997)

Japanese[Hon-o katta] gakusei-wa doku desu ka?book-ACC boughtstudent-TOP where isQ‘Where is the student who bought a book?’(Matsumoto 1988: 168)

6What’s a GNMCC?

Assuming a “gap” is problematic because of rampant zero anaphora in normal speech

And sometimes it’s not even possible:

Japanese[atama-ga yokunaru] honhead-NOM improve(v.intr) book‘the book (by reading) which (one’s) head improves’ (Matsumoto 1988: 169)

7What’s a GNMCC?

A subordinate clause that modifies a head noun Includes relative-clause interpretations

Head noun is an argument or adjunct of the subordinate clause

Also includes fact-S interpretations (“extended NMCC’s”) Subordinate clause modifies head noun in some

other way There are “no syntactic constraints” on the

subordinate clause or the head noun, but there may be pragmatic ones (Comrie 1998: 52)

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GNMCC’s in SirvaGNMCC’S • SIRVA • SOGERAM • TOPICS • SUBORDINATION • SUMMARY • CONCLUSION

9Sirva GNMCC’s

Sirva GNMCC’s follow the head noun They also require a subordinator following them

SirvaUdukɨb[bira u-rubɨ-s-a ] k-udu sigud-ɨi …road 3PL go-PL-FPST-3 MD-PRAGdisappear-3SG.DS‘The road they had gone on disappeared and …’

10Sirva GNMCC’s

3SG and 3PL pronouns can function as subordinators

SirvaWari kɨ-i, kava, [siar va~bavillage stay-3SG.DS bird starlingsay~NMLZ

kɨd-i-r ] bira pi-rɨbɨ-s-a.walk-TPST-1PL3PL come-PL-FPST-3‘He was in the village, and the birds that we call starlings came.’

11Sirva GNMCC’s

So can some postpositions

SirvaSuhusuhu [kwahe ki-ri-Ø ] marhasaposition before stay-TPST-3SG likeFOC

kɨ-s-a.stay-FPST-3SG‘It was exactly in the position it had been in before.’

12Sirva GNMCC’s

NPs that contain GNMCC’s can also contain other modifiers

SirvaPɨgrɨ zere [yava-nin kɨd-a, mɨŋa~mɨŋacustom good father.1.POSS-PL walk-SSget~NMLZ

kɨda-b-ri ] k-udu, pɨgrɨ zere beau mɨŋ-ɨdagra.walk-3PL-TPSTMD-PRAG custom good DEF.ACC

get-1PL.IRR‘The good customs that our fathers walked in and adopted (lit. ‘got’), we should adopt those good customs.’

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The Sogeram languagesGNMCC’S • SIRVA • SOGERAM • TOPICS • SUBORDINATION • SUMMARY • CONCLUSION

14The Sogeram languages

Ten languages in central Madang Province, PNG Trans New Guinea

Madang South Adelbert

Sogeram

15The Sogeram languages

Ross 2005

16The Sogeram languages

17The Sogeram languages

Daniels 2015

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Sogeram topicalizationGNMCC’S • SIRVA • SOGERAM • TOPICS • SUBORDINATION • SUMMARY • CONCLUSION

19Sogeram topicalization

A clausal topic position can be reconstructed for Proto-Sogeram because its demonstrative morphology can be reconstructed

Proto-Sogeram demonstratives were composed of two parts A root that indicated deictic distance A suffix that marked case

PSog gloss*inɨ- near

(ND)*ka- mid

(MD)*antu- far (FD)

20Sogeram topicalization

Demonstratives in topic position were marked with the topic/object suffix *-n

Topic position occurred in verbal and nonverbal predicates

It was at the left edge

21Sogeram topicalization

In verbal predicates, topic position established something as topical for the purposes of the remainder of the clause

MandAsam far ka-n, dɨh=i k-ɨp ac ab-eu-rd.breadfruit skin FD-ACC DU=COM FD-EXST FOC put-PL-3.FPST‘The breadfruit skin, the two of them put it right there.’

22Sogeram topicalization

AisiW-i w-i sɨkɨbyaŋ g-oŋ, emnau,ya n-uŋgo-SS go-SS food MD-TOP alright 1SGND-TOP

n-ɨs-iŋ.eat-FPST-1SG‘It went on and on, and the food, alright, I ate it.’

23Sogeram topicalization

In nonverbal predicates, topic position essentially functions as subject position

MandAca na-n uja aca ar.woman ND-ACC who womanQUOT‘“What woman is this (lit. ‘This woman is what woman’)?” he said.’

24Sogeram topicalization

ApalɨNa-n sɨbɨlɨ u-i.ND-ILOC bad say-3SG.IPST‘“This one here is bad,” he said.’ (Wade 1989: 129)

25Sogeram topicalization

So we can reconstruct a left-edge topic position to Proto-Sogeram because we can reconstruct its morphology: the demonstrative suffix *-n

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Sogeram subordinationGNMCC’S • SIRVA • SOGERAM • TOPICS • SUBORDINATION • SUMMARY • CONCLUSION

27Clause chain

nominalization A clause chain is subordinated by placing a

demonstrative after it It functions as a noun phrase in the matrix

clause The demonstrative is case-marked, and

indicates the function of the subordinate chain in the matrix clause

The subordinate chain is fully finite Its semantic interpretation is pragmatically

determined It can refer to any participant in the event, to the

location of the event, to the event itself, etc.

28Topic/object *-n

Demonstratives with topic/object *-n could subordinate clauses:

Manat[Azɨ=k inɨ-n ram-in ] ini-n, arumdecoration=ACC ND-ACC put-1SG.IPST ND-ACC big

hava ka-barad.group MD-POSS.PL‘This decoration that I’m wearing here is our ancestors’.’’

29Topic/object *-n

Aisi Mabɨŋ[Ya itɨ w-ir-iŋ ] g-oŋ, maket1SG get.SS come-HAB-1SG MD-TOPmarket

tam-er-iŋ ma.put-HAB-1SG NEG‘I bring them, but I don’t put them in the market (i.e., sell them).’

30Locative *=ñ

The locative enclitic *=ñ (*=i after consonants) could attach to a noun phrase or a demonstrative

Demonstratives with *=ñ, but not *=ñ by itself, could subordinate clause chains

ApalɨViaŋ [haca mav-av-i ] n-eŋ ala ve-iem-in.1SG.NOM hole dig-PL-3.IPST ND-LOC FOCcome-TPST-1SG‘It was here where they dug a hole that I came.’ (Wade 1989: 21)

31Locative *=ñ

Sirva[Aba-s-a ] k-i tagu-rama-s-a.talk-FPST-3SG MD-SET step-put-FPST-3SG‘She stood in the place he had talked about.’

32Locative *=ñ

Kursav[Nan vuruvain-uara] i-ka-n, ya2PL village stay-2PL.NFUT ND-TOP-LOC1SG

ramɨra-da ve-md-ua.return-SS come-FUT-1SG‘I’ll come back to the village you guys live in.’ (Elicited)

33Topic *ka

Bare middle demonstrative roots, but not bare near or far roots, could also subordinate clause chains

Apalɨ[Na nubu magɨ mugu-la-lɨ ]ND.TOP 3SG.NOM egg go.down-HAB-3SG.FPST

ha lamakɨŋ haca hɨvɨ mugu-la-lɨ.MD.TOP palm.sp hole LI go.down-HAB-3SG.FPST‘Now, as for when (or ‘Now given that’) he habitually lays eggs, he habitually lays eggs in the hole of the lamakɨŋ palm.’ (Wade 1989: 22)

34Topic *ka

Sirva[U-rubɨ-s-a ] ka, kine k-i hasago-PL-FPST-3 MD.TOP near MD-SETFOC

kɨzɨdɨ-s-a.evening-FPST-3SG‘They went, and very soon (lit. ‘in a near place’) it was evening.’

35Topic *ka

Kursav[Rainim d-ua ] ka ruk-uana?line.up do-1SG.NFUT MD see-2SG.NFUT‘Do you see the ones I’ve lined up?’

36Topic *ka

Gants[Ped mɨŋi-da yɨg adɨ-m-ek ]ko, kadapaint take-SS festival do-FPST-3SGDEF thus

cɨ-m-ek.stay-FPST-3SG‘The paint he had taken and decorated himself with was right there.’

37Clause chain

nominalization We have reconstructed three specific

subordination constructions*[S DEM-n] Syntax: topic/object noun

phraseSemantics: ‘salient aspect of S’

*[S DEM=ñ] Syntax: locative noun phraseSemantics: ‘salient aspect of S’

*[S ka] Syntax: topicalized noun phrase

Semantics: ‘salient aspect of S’

38Clause chain

nominalization Based on these, we can propose:

*[S DEM=CASE] Syntax: NP with function CASE

Semantics: ‘salient aspect of S’

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Putting it all togetherGNMCC’S • SIRVA • SOGERAM • TOPICS • SUBORDINATION • SUMMARY • CONCLUSION

40Putting it together

Proto-Sogeram had two constructions: Left-edge topic position Clause chain nominalization

Subordinate clause chains were normal clause chains, and could contain topics

41Putting it together

Gants[Node gon mia cɨ-m-ek ] ko,kuj adɨ-dawoman trap hold stay-FPST-3SGDEF poison do-SS

gobai tama-m-ek.plant.sp put-FPST-3SG‘He poisoned the woman that the trap was holding and put gobai on her.’

42Putting it together

Nominalized clause chains referred to a pragmatically salient aspect of their event

If they contained a topic, they were very likely to refer to that topic

43Putting it together

In Sirva reanalysis took place and the topic became the head of the construction

44Putting it together

But how do we know that the head noun of Sirva GNMCC’s is not still a topic in a subordinate clause?

SirvaTimi, [kiki tara~dara kɨda-b-ri ]beaustick drum stab~NMLZ walk-3PL-TPSTDEF.ACC

mɨŋa-s-a.get-FPST-3SG‘He took the stick that they hit the drum with.’

45Putting it together

But how do we know that the head noun of Sirva GNMCC’s is not still a topic in a subordinate clause?

Sirva[Timi, kiki tara~dara kɨda-b-ri ]beaustick drum stab~NMLZ walk-3PL-TPSTDEF.ACC

mɨŋa-s-a.get-FPST-3SG‘He took the stick that they hit the drum with.’

46Putting it together

Heads of GNMCC’s can be marked with the unaffixed topic demonstrative

SirvaTimi ka [kiki tara~dara kɨda-b-ri ]beaustick MD.TOP drum stab~NMLZ walk-3PL-TPSTDEF.ACC

mɨŋa-s-a.get-FPST-3SG‘He took the stick that they hit the drum with.’ (Elicited)

47Putting it together

But they can’t take any other demonstrative

Sirva*timi k-udu [kiki tara~dara kɨda-b-ri ]

beaustick MD-PRAG drum stab~NMLZ walk-3PL-TPST DEF.ACC

*timi beau [kiki tara~dara kɨda-b-ri ]beau

stick DEF.ACC drum stab~NMLZ walk-3PL-TPST DEF.ACC

48Putting it together

Topics, however, can occur with any of these three forms, like –udu ‘PRAG’

SirvaStori n-udu be ka-ma mar.story ND-PRAG 3SG MD-ADVZ like‘This story, it’s like that.’

49Putting it together

Or beau ‘DEF.ACC’

SirvaSaba ña beau, wagara beau kibepig child DEF.ACC white DEF.ACCabove

tam-ri-Ø v-ra …put-TPST-3SG say-SS‘He thought (lit. ‘said’) that as for the baby pigs, she put the white one on top, and …’

50Putting it together

And also ka ‘MD.TOP’

SirvaNa uhusiv ka, be kava nɨrɨŋ wari.and village MD.TOP 3SG bird3PL.POSS village‘And the village, it was the birds’ village.’

51Putting it together

So the heads of GNMCC’s are not simply topics

A new construction, the GNMCC, has been created in Sirva from Proto-Sogeram topics

This construction still retains a relic of its origin in that it allows topic demonstratives to occur on the head noun

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ConclusionGNMCC’S • SIRVA • SOGERAM • TOPICS • SUBORDINATION • SUMMARY • CONCLUSION

53Conclusion

I’ve reconstructed two Proto-Sogeram constructions Topicalization Clause chain nominalization

I’ve shown how the combination of these two constructions created the Sirva GNMCC

This study helps us understand how topics behave diachronically

It also shows us (for the first time?) how a GNMCC can be created

Thank you!