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Impersonal constructions : a cross-linguistic perspective / edited by Andrej Malchukov, Anna Siewierska.
- Format:
- Book
- Series:
- Studies in language companion series ; v. 124.
- Studies in language companion series, 0165-7763 ; v. 124
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Grammar, Comparative and general--Subjectless constructions.
- Grammar, Comparative and general.
- Grammar, Comparative and general--Word order.
- Physical Description:
- ix, 641 p. : ill., maps.
- Edition:
- 1st ed.
- Place of Publication:
- Amsterdam ; Philadelphia : John Benjamins Pub. Co., 2011.
- Language Note:
- English
- Summary:
- In the four Pama-Nyungan languages Umpithamu, Morrobolam, Mbarrumbathama and Rimanggudinhma there is a core set of impersonals centred around experiencer object constructions. They describe involuntary physical processes, and are formally characterized by lack of nominative pronominal cross-reference, and optional absence of ergative agent nominals. In addition, systematic lack of nominative cross-reference is found in constructions with inanimate agents in all four languages, and in experienced action constructions in Umpithamu, in both cases with ergatively-marked nominals. It is argued that nominative cross-reference is the basic criterion for subject status, with ergative marking merely indicating agent status. Given the lack of any specific valency-changing morphology, impersonals with ergatively-marked nominals are functional equivalents of a voice mechanism, with agents demoted from subject status. This process has developed furthest in Umpithamu where the experienced action construction is systematically available as an alternative construal for a subset of transitive clauses. Keywords: impersonal; experiencer object; inanimate agent; passive; Umpithamu; Lamalamic.
- Contents:
- pt. 1. Impersonal constructions : typological and theoretical aspects
- pt. 2. Impersonal constructions : diachronic studies
- pt. 3. Cross-linguistic variation in impersonal constructions : case studies.
- Notes:
- Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph
- Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
- ISBN:
- 9786613174956
- 9781283174954
- 1283174952
- 9789027287168
- 9027287163
- OCLC:
- 741492695
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