Maximilien Guérinmaximilien.guerin.free.fr/doc/guerinm_slide_lagb2013.pdf · The predicative...
Transcript of Maximilien Guérinmaximilien.guerin.free.fr/doc/guerinm_slide_lagb2013.pdf · The predicative...
2013 Annual Meeting of the
Linguistics Association of Great Britain
Maximilien Gué[email protected]
The predicative marker na in Wolof:a case of polygrammaticalization
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Plan
➀ Wolof verbal predication
➁ Origin of Perfect
➂ Origin of Future
➃ Origin of Optative
➄ A case of polygrammaticalization
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Wolof language
Classification:↳ Niger-Congo
↳ Atlantic
Agglutinative morphology
Spoken in Senegambia
Vehicular in Senegal
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Plan
➊ Wolof Verbal Predication
➁ Origin of Perfect
➂ Origin of Future
➃ Origin of Optative
➄ A case of polygrammaticalization
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Wolof verbal predication
Based on phrasal patternsPredicative constructions
Predicative Constructions ≈ Conjugationstense, aspect, mood, information structure
Complex predicates
Verb + Predicative Marker Verb
lexical meaning Predicative Marker
grammatical information + subject affix
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Predicative constructions
Subject Focusma-a liggéey1SG-PM work
Presentativema-angi liggéey1SG-PM work
Complement Focusfii la-a liggéeyhere PM-1SG work
Verb Focusda-ma liggéeyPM-1SG work
Perfectliggéey na-awork PM-1SG
Futuredina-a liggéeyPM-1SG work
Optativena-a liggéeyPM-1SG work
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Similar predicative markers
Perfectliggéey na-awork PM-1SG
'I have worked'
Futuredina-a liggéeyPM-1SG work'I will work'
Optativena-a liggéeyPM-1SG work'I should work'
'na' marker is inPerfect, Future & Optative
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Problems in the analysis of 'na'
Morphosyntactic Independant word? Verbal affix? Clitic? How many 'na' in Wolof?
Semantic Indicative (Dard, 1826) Present (Roger, 1829) Perfective (Sauvageot, 1965) Perfect (Robert, 1991) Verb focus (Diouf, 2009) Affirmative (Dunigan, 1994) Finiteness (Zribi-Hertz & Diagne, 1999)
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Plan
➀ Wolof verbal predication
➋ Origin of Perfect
➂ Origin of Future
➃ Origin of Optative
➄ A case of polygrammaticalization
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Difficulties with a diachronic study
Wolof is an oral tradition language No text before the 19th century Not many ancient texts Only missionaries or colonial officers' texts
Historical linguistics is useless Genetic relationship with Serer and Fula Large linguistic distance (>6000 yr)
Need grammaticalization theory Evolution leaves traces in today constructions There are typological tendencies
Origin of PerfectMethodology
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Verb Focus
V1 na-S V2
*bëgg na-nu liggéey want PM-1PL work 'we do want to work'
Hypothesis:
Origin of PerfectHypothesis
Perfect
V1 na-S V2
bëgg na-nu liggéeywant PM-1PL work'we have wanted to work'
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Verb FocusV na-S
Verb Emphasisdef-a V
former state: layering(several constructions for the same function)
Origin of PerfectProcess
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Verb Emphasisdef-a V
PerfectV na-S
Verb FocusV na-S
bleaching process(loss of focus features)
Origin of PerfectProcess
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PerfectV na-S
Verb FocusV na-S
Verb Focusdafa-S V
Verb Emphasisdef-a V
morphologization+ decategorialization
Origin of PerfectProcess
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Bleaching process
''The mechanism behind bleaching is habituation: a stimulus loses its impact if it occurs very frequently'' (Bybee, 2007)
[V na-S] highly frequent in Wolof
Loss of emphatic value attested in other languages (Bybee & al., 1994)
Origin of PerfectArguments
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FOC PM S V
Subject Foc S -a ∅ V
ma -a liggéey
Compl. Foc C la -S V
fii la -a liggéey
Perfect V na -S ∅
liggéey na -a
Origin of PerfectArguments
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Origin of PerfectArguments
Complement Focus Perfect
PM SUBJ PM SUBJ
SG 1 la -a na -a
2 ∅ -nga ∅ -nga
3 la ∅ na ∅
PL 1 la -nu na -nu
2 ∅ -ngeen ∅ -ngeen
3 la -ñu na -ñu
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Plan
➀ Wolof verbal predication
➁ Origin of Perfect
➌ Origin of Future
➃ Origin of Optative
➄ A case of polygrammaticalization
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Foc. Imperfective
di na-S V2
*di na-nu liggéey IPFV PM-1PL work 'we will work'
Hypothesis:
Future
dina-S V1
dina-nu liggéeyPM-1PL work'we will work'
Origin of FutureHypothesis
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Verb FocusV1 na-S V2
Imperfective Focusdi na-S V2
instantiationV1 = auxiliary verb 'di'
Origin of FutureProcess
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Futuredina-S V1
Imperfective Focusdi na-S V2
morphologization
Origin of FutureProcess
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Origin of FutureArguments
Semantic argument
dina (FUT) = di (IPFV) + na (PRF)future = imperfective perfect
↳ incoherent equivalence
dina (FUT) = di (IPFV) + na (VFOC)future = focalized imperfective= Focus on the habitual or continuous aspect
≈ ↳ Future
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Origin of FutureArguments
Further argument
Negative Future Focus→
d-u-ma naanFUT-NEG-1SG drink'I (never) drink'
dina-a naanFUT-1SG drink'I will drink'
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Plan
➀ Wolof verbal predication
➁ Origin of Perfect
➂ Origin of Future
➍ Origin of Optative
➄ A case of polygrammaticalization
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Focus on verb 'yell'
yell na S V2
*yell na Omar dem be.suitable PM Omar go 'it is suitable to let Omar go'
Hypothesis:
Optative
na S V1
na Omar demPM Omar go'let Omar go'
Origin of OptativeHypothesis
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Verb FocusV1 na S V2
Focus on verb 'yell'yell na S V2
instantiationV1 = verb 'yell'
Origin of OptativeProcess
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Focus on verb 'yell'yell na S V2
'yell' was progressively
dropped
Origin of OptativeProcess
Frozen formyell na S V2
'yell' triggered a semantic change of
'na' by inference
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Optativena S V1
Focus on verb 'yell'yell na S V2
semantic changeby inference
(conventionalization of implicature)
Origin of OptativeProcess
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Origin of OptativeArguments
Optative absent from oldest grammars Did not exist?
But in these grammars (Dard, 1826) Equivalent construction (same meaning) Describe as frozen construction Involves the verb 'yell' and the PM 'na'
Kind of evolution documented in other languages (Bybee & al., 1994)
Explain why the lexical subject is between the PM and the verb in Optative
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Plan
➀ Wolof verbal predication
➁ Origin of Perfect
➂ Origin of Future
➃ Origin of Optative
➎ A case of polygrammaticalization
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Futuredina-S V1
Imperfective Focusdi na-S V2
A case of polygrammaticalization
Verb FocusV1 na-S V2
Focus on verb 'yell'yell na-S V2
Optativena-S V1
PerfectV1 na-S V2
Verbdi
Verbyell
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Explain the formal similarity of Perfect, Optative and Future Constructions
Account for characteristics of these constructions Neutral value of Perfect Actual focus meaning of dina negative form Syntactic position of the lexical subject in Optative
Compatible with the remaining predicative constructions
More coherent approach to verbal morphosyntax
Provide new perspectives to analyze the relations between such constructions
Conclusion
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References
BYBEE J. 2007. Frequency of Use and the Organization of Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
BYBEE J., PERKINS R., PAGLIUCA W. 1994. The Evolution of Grammar: Tense, aspect, and modality in the languages of the world. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
CHURCH E. 1981. Le système verbal du wolof. Dakar: Université de Dakar.
COMRIE B. 1976. Aspect. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
DARD J. 1826. Grammaire wolofe. Paris: Imprimerie Royale.
DIOUF J-L. 2009. Grammaire du wolof contemporain. Paris: L'Harmattan.
HOPPER P., TRAUGOTT E. 2003. Grammaticalization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
ROBERT S. 1991. Approche énonciative du système verbal : Le cas du Wolof. Paris: Éditions du CNRS.
VOISIN-NOUGUIER S. 2002. Relations entre fonctions syntaxiques et fonctions sémantiques en wolof. Université Lyon 2: PhD Dissertation.