DOCSLIB.ORG

Lexical and Post-Lexical Tones in Akan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Lexical and Post-Lexical Tones in Akan Lexical and post-lexical tones in Akan Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades Doctor philosophiae (Dr.phil.) an der Humanwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Potsdam eingereicht von Susanne Genzel Februar 2013 Published online at the Institutional Repository of the University of Potsdam: URN urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-77969 http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-77969 In memory of my aunt, Sabine Genzel. Acknowledgements First of all, I would like to express my very great appreciation to my supervisors, Caroline Féry and Frank Kügler. I am especially grateful to Frank. He hired me as a student assistant in summer 2003 and let me take part in many interesting empirical investigations. Later on, in November 2007, he employed me in the project D5 on “Tonal structure and information structure: Phonetics & Phonology”, which is part of the wonderful collaborative research centre on information structure (SFB 632), financed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). Akan is one of the languages we are investigating in our project. Frank did a great job as supervisor. He was very interested and encouraging and always had time for me to discuss new ideas. Caroline was my Prof. in linguistics when I studied at University of Potsdam. Her seminar “Intonation im typologischen Vergleich”, held in winter 2004/2005, impressed me and made me curious for intonation/prosody and typology. Caroline’s comments were very helpful and improved the thesis immensely. Discussing with her was really inspiring. My special thanks are extended to all participants and informants. “Mo boaa me paa. Medaase!” Especially, I would like to mention Afua Blay, Reginald Duah, Benjamin Bamfo and Monica Apenten, who made me feel at home in Ghana and were always willing to share their native speaker intuitions with me. Without you, I could not have written the thesis. Further, I would like to thank Akua Appiah-Akuramaa who was my ‘Berlin’ informant. Further, I am very grateful to Dr. K. Dovlo who very kindly welcomed me to the University of Ghana (Legon), arranged my first talk in front of a native speaker audience and provided me with everything I needed. I also wish to acknowledge the help provided by Prof. Dr. K. Saah and Nana Ama Agyeman. Additionally, I would like to thank Dr. C. Marfo, working at the University of Kumasi (KNUST), for discussing phrasing related and other Akan specific issues with me and for drawing my attention to the conference of the Linguistics Association of Ghana in Winneba (2012). I have talked to many people during the thesis writing process. First of all, I would like to mention Sabine Zerbian. Since she had her office very close to mine, I went there very often to ask tone language related questions. She always had time for me and also read an early version and provided very helpful comments. Further, I am grateful to Ruben van de Vijver who also gave very useful advices and made me laugh. I would also like to mention Anja Arnhold, Sandra Beyermann, Laura Downing, Ines Fiedler, Anja Gollrad, Markus Greif, Mira Grubic, Robin Hörnig, Shinishiro Ishihara, Sara Myrberg, Annie Rialland, Bernadett Smolibocki and Thomas Westkott…. i Finally, I wish to thank my family, Mama, Oma, Onkelchen, Marie und Hannah for their unconditional love and support. Further, I am grateful to all my friends for their patience, for calling me, writing me, cooking for me, giving massages and providing plenty of other sorts of support. Last but not least, I want to thank Himanshu, for keeping the household running, for his irrepressible high spirits, patience, support and goodies. ii List of abbreviations and symbols ATR advanced tongue root BT breathy termination C consonant 1 COMP complementizer CP complementizer phrase db decibel DD downdrift DEF definite ∆ difference/drop DIM diminutive DET determiner DP determiner phrase DS downstep F focus F formant F0 fundamental frequency fin final FM focus marker h high register tone H high tone HAB habitual Hz Hertz IMP imperative InflP inflectional phrase Int intensity Intrel relative intensity IP/ι intonation phrase l low register tone L low tone LPC linear predictive coding M mid tone max maximal ms millisecond μ mora NEG negative NOM nominal NP nominal phrase NSF non-subject focus OPT optative PL plural pMCMC p-value calculated from MONTE CARLO sampling by Markov chain pP/φ phonological phrase PART particle Φ foot PoD position of the pitch drop PRF perfective PRO pronoun 1 The abbreviations in small capitals basically follow the convention of the Leipzig Glossing Rules (Bickel, Comrie & Haspelmath, 2004). iii PROG progressive Psg subglottal air pressure PST past pw/ω prosodic word r baseline value R2 coefficient of determination RTR retracted tongue root σ syllable s downdrift quotient sec second SF subject focus SG singular st semitone SPEC specific SVO subject, verb, object T tone T terminal T* pitch accent T! downstepped tone T floating tone T% boundary tone TBU tone bearing unit TM topic marker TW target word U utterance V verb V vowel VP verbal phrase x beat X0 lexical word XP maximal projection ♀ female ♂ male local lowering local raising ↑ global raising iv Contents Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………....i List of abbreviations and symbols…………………………………………………………… iii About the book ........................................................................................................................... 1 1. Chapter General and theoretical background ..................................................................... 7 1.1 General introduction to Akan ...................................................................................... 8 1.2 Phonological representation of tone .......................................................................... 12 1.3 Tone terracing ............................................................................................................ 17 1.4 Prosodic structure ...................................................................................................... 25 1.4.1 The prosodic organization of constituents ......................................................... 25 1.4.2 Prosodic constituents and their phonetic properties ........................................... 26 1.5 Tonal and non-tonal intonation .................................................................................. 40 1.5.1 What is intonation? ............................................................................................. 40 1.5.2 Sentence type ...................................................................................................... 42 1.5.3 Focus .................................................................................................................. 45 1.6 Universal intonational meaning ................................................................................. 51 1.6.1 The Production code ........................................................................................... 51 1.6.2 The Frequency code ........................................................................................... 53 1.6.3 The Effort code ................................................................................................... 54 1.7 Phonetic implementation ........................................................................................... 55 1.8 Tonal variations in connected speech ........................................................................ 58 1.9 Summary of the main research questions .................................................................. 60 2. Chapter Material and methods ......................................................................................... 62 2.1 The participants ......................................................................................................... 62 2.2 The corpus ................................................................................................................. 63 2.3 Recording procedure .................................................................................................. 70 2.4 Data pre-processing and statistical analysis .............................................................. 71 3. Chapter The influence of adjacent tones in connected speech ......................................... 73 3.1 L raising ..................................................................................................................... 73 3.2 H raising .................................................................................................................... 81 4. Chapter Downtrends ......................................................................................................... 92 4.1 Types of downstep ..................................................................................................... 93 4.2 Downstep in initial position ..................................................................................... 100 4.3 Declination and downstep ....................................................................................... 107 4.3.1 Declination ....................................................................................................... 107 4.3.2 The implementation of declination .................................................................. 119 4.3.3 Downstep .......................................................................................................... 124 4.3.4 The implementation of downstep ....................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Prosody and Intonation in Non-Bantu Niger-Congo Languages: an Annotated Bibliography
    Electronic Journal of Africana Bibliography Volume 11 Prosody and Intonation in Non- Bantu Niger-Congo Languages: An Annotated Article 1 Bibliography 2009 Prosody and Intonation in Non-Bantu Niger-Congo Languages: An Annotated Bibliography Christopher R. Green Indiana University Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/ejab Part of the African History Commons, and the African Languages and Societies Commons Recommended Citation Green, Christopher R. (2009) "Prosody and Intonation in Non-Bantu Niger-Congo Languages: An Annotated Bibliography," Electronic Journal of Africana Bibliography: Vol. 11 , Article 1. https://doi.org/10.17077/1092-9576.1010 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Iowa Research Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Journal of Africana Bibliography by an authorized administrator of Iowa Research Online. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Volume 11 (2009) Prosody and Intonation in Non-Bantu Niger-Congo Languages: An Annotated Bibliography Christopher R. Green, Indiana University Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 Atlantic – Ijoid 4 Volta – Congo North 6 Kwa 15 Kru 19 Dogon 20 Benue – Congo Cross River 21 Defoid 23 Edoid 25 Igboid 27 Jukunoid 28 Mande 28 Reference Materials 33 Author Index 40 Prosody and Intonation in Non-Bantu Niger-Congo Languages Introduction Most linguists are well aware of the fact that data pertaining to languages spoken in Africa are often less readily available than information on languages spoken in Europe and some parts of Asia. This simple fact is one of the first and largest challenges facing Africanist linguists in their pursuit of preliminary data and references on which to base their research.
    [Show full text]
  • Some Endangered Languages of Ghana
    American Journal of Linguistics 2012, 1(2): 10-18 DOI: 10.5923/j.linguistics.20120102.01 Some Endangered Languages of Ghana Jonas N. Akpanglo-Narte y1,*, Rebecca A. Akpanglo-Narte y2 1Office of the Vice-President (Academic), Regent University College of Science & Technology, Accra, Ghana 2Department of Applied Linguistics, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana Abstract The phenomenon of language endangerment and, ultimately, language loss is considered in regard to indigenous Ghanaian languages. It is established that two languages, namely, Ghanaian English (GhE) and Akan, especially the Twi dialect, and to a small degree, Ewe, are slowly killing off the smaller Ghanaian languages. For instance, in 1970 almost all Winneba natives spoke Efutu (Ewutu) as their first language. By 2010, 40 years later, only approximately 50% of children born to the Winneba natives speak Efutu as a first language. About 30% of these children speak no Efutu at all. Interestingly, medium-sized languages such as Ga, Dangme and Nzema are also slowly losing grounds to the three languages cited. Meanwhile there are some dozen Ghanaian languages that have less than 1000 estimated speakers each but which have held their own for a century. It is concluded that the closer a language community is to the major urban centers, the more likely it is to be endangered. It is further concluded that the language policy of the Ghana Government is contributing to the loss of Ghanaian languages. Ke ywo rds Endangered, Languages, Language Loss, Ghana, Ghanaian, Ga, Dangme, GaDangme the world’s top 10, namely, Standard Chinese, English, 1. Introduction Spanish, Bengali, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, and German.
    [Show full text]
  • Iconicity in the Adamorobe Sign Language and the Akuapem Twi (Ideophones)
    We speak with our hands and voices: Iconicity in the Adamorobe Sign Language and the Akuapem Twi (ideophones) Mary Edward Thesis for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Linguistics Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies University of Bergen, Norway Spring Semester, 2015 UNIVERSITETET I BERGEN 0 Universitetet i Bergen Institutt for lingvistiske, litterære og estetiske studier LING350 Masteroppgave i lingvistikk Vårsemester 2015 We speak with our hands and voices: Iconicity in the Adamorobe Sign Language and the Akuapem Twi (ideophones) Mary Edward i Abstract This research drew on the linguistic concept of iconicity and with a period of three months, five deaf signers of the Adamorobe community and some unspecified Akuapem Twi (Akan) speakers were studied and interviewed. The Adamorobe Sign Language examples categorised for retrieval are size and shape, time expression, verbal directionality and emotive and cognitive function. The ideophones of Akuapem Twi examples given in this thesis, based on the implicational hierarchy are sound, touch, movement, smell, vision and size and shape. This thesis showed out that iconicity is highly exhibited in the Adamorobe Sign Language and the ideophones of Akuapem Twi. There are levels of iconicity demonstrated in each. The research used an iconic scale of 1-5 to check the levels of iconicity; 5-4 representing the highest iconicity and 1 representing the lowest iconicity. This scale was personally developed to aid in categorising the levels of iconicity and it was identified that some of the iconic element are higher in iconicity while others are low. The AdaSL and the ideophones of Akuapem Twi have Highly Iconic Structures that have strong iconic resemblance of the form.
    [Show full text]
  • Emmanuel Nicholas Abakah. Hypotheses on the Diachronic
    1 Hypotheses on the Diachronic Development of the Akan Language Group Emmanuel Nicholas Abakah, Department of Akan-Nzema, University of Education, Winneba [email protected] Cell: +233 244 732 172 Abstract Historical linguists have already established the constituent varieties of the Akan language group as well as their relationships with other languages. What remains to be done is to reconstruct the Proto- Akan forms and this is what this paper sets out to accomplish. One remarkable observation about language is that languages change through time. This is not to obscure the fact that it is at least conceivable that language could remain unchanged over time, as is the case with some other human institutions e.g. various taboos in some cultures or the value of smile as a nonverbal signal. Be that as it may, the mutually comprehensible varieties of the codes that constitute the Akan language group have evidently undergone some changes over the course of time. However, they lack adequate written material that can take us far back into the history of the Akan language to enable any diachronic or historical linguist to determine hypotheses on their development. Besides, if empirical data from the sister Kwa languages or from the other daughters of the Niger-Congo parent language were readily available, then the reconstruction of the Proto-Akan forms would be quite straightforward. But, unfortunately, these are also hard to come by, at least, for the moment. Nevertheless, to reconstruct a *proto-language, historical linguists have set up a number of methods, which include the comparative method, internal reconstruction, language universals and linguistic typology among others.
    [Show full text]
  • Some Aspects of Morphological and Phonological Differences Between Gomoa and Iguae Subdialects of the Fante Dialect of the Akan Language
    University of Education, Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA SOME ASPECTS OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHONOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GOMOA AND IGUAE SUBDIALECTS OF FANTE A Thesis in the Department of APPLIED LINGUISTICS Faculty of LANGUAGES EDUCATION submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, University of Education, Winneba in partial fulfillment of the requirements for award of the Master of Philosophy (Applied Linguistics) Degree OWUSU-BAAH, KATE A. (406008023) 2013 1 University of Education, Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh DECLARATION I, OWUSU-BAAH KATE AKOSUA declare that except for references quotations to works which have been cited and acknowledged, this thesis is the result of my original research, and that it has neither in whole or in part been presented for another degree elsewhere. ………………………..….... …………………………… OWUSU-BAAH KATE AKOSUA DATE (CANDIDATE) SUPERVISOR’S DECLARATION I hereby declare that the preparation and presentation of this work was supervised in accordance with the guidelines for supervision of Thesis as laid down by the University of Education, Winneba. ……………………………… …………………………… DR. CHARLES OWU-EWIE DATE (SUPERVISOR) 2 University of Education, Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the people who have been helpful in diverse ways to the success of this work. My sincerest gratitude goes to my supervisor, Dr. Charles Owu-Ewie of Akan-Nzema Department of the University of Education, Winneba – Ajumako Campus. He read through every page of this work, offered pieces of advice, suggestions, words of encouragement and books. His immense assistance is very well appreciated. I thank Mr. Kwasi Adomako of the same Department for his help in many ways.
    [Show full text]
  • Asante Twi) Reduplication
    The Buckingham Journal of Language and Linguistics 2015 Volume 8 pp 1-20 FINAL-NASAL DELETION IN AKAN (ASANTE TWI) REDUPLICATION Kwasi Adomako University of Education, Winneba Ghana [email protected] ABSTRACT In this paper, I examine the phenomenon of reduplicant-nasal deletion observed in some reduplicative prefixes of Akan (a Niger-Congo, Kwa language). In the Akan phonology, nasals are among non-vowel sonorants that are permitted syllable or word-finally (Dolphyne 1988, Abakah 2005). However, it is observed that these nasals, particularly [m], are sometimes deleted in some reduplicants final position. In this paper, I show that verb bases of CVN or CVVN structures are of two different morphemic structures in the underlying representation; monomorphemic verb base and bimorphemic verb base. The latter structure, on which this paper focuses, has the composition: morpheme1 + morpheme2. It is observed that while the former preserve their ‘final’ nasals in the reduplicants, the latter, on the other hand, lose them in their reduplicants. We analyse this phonological phenomenon as resulting from the language’s bid towards satisfying a high-ranking template satisfaction constraint (after McCarthy and Prince 1994) within the Optimality Theory framework. Keywords: Nasal deletion, Akan, reduplication, Optimality Theory, phonology. 1. INTRODUCTION This paper examines the process of reduplicant-final bilabial nasal deletion in reduplication of some verb bases of Asante Twi (henceforth, Asante), a dialect of Akan, a member of Kwa, Niger Congo language. Reduplication as a phenomenon has received some appreciable body of research in the fields of both phonology and morphology in particular. Reduplication, in general, has been an area of research interest over the past centuries cross-linguistically, and its study in the Akan language could be traced back to the 19th century with the pioneering work by Christaller in 1875.
    [Show full text]
  • VOWEL RAISING in AKAN REDUPLICATION Kwesi Adomako1
    VOWEL RAISING IN AKAN REDUPLICATION Kwesi Adomako1 Abstract This paper examines vowel raising in reduplication in Akan, a Niger- Congo (Kwa) language, focusing on the Asante-Twi dialect. It has been generally observed in Akan that in reduplicating CV stems, the stem [+low] vowels are pre-specified with [+high] the reduplicant (RED). However, it has been claimed that raising to the mid vowel in disyllabic REDs is idiosyncratic to the Fante dialect. I show that the phenomenon is attested in Asante and that stem CV1V2, where V2 is [+low], raises to a corresponding [-high, -low] vowel in the RED, and not [+high]. I account for this within the Optimality Theory framework. 1. Introduction Vowel raising has been a phenomenon that has received some scholarship in Akan phonology in general over the years and particularly in the domain of reduplication. Reduplication, in turn, has been one of the areas of research which have contributed immensely to our understanding of phonology and its theorization. Akan has been one of the languages that have contributed substantially over the past years in this regard. Among the notable authors who have made such contributions are Christaller (1875), Welmers (1946), Schachter & Fromkin (1968), Wilbur (1973), Marantz (1982), Lieber (1987), Dolphyne (1988), McCarthy & Prince (1993b, 1995), Raimy (2000, 2000b) and Abakah (2004, ms). However, these scholars seem to disagree on the height to which the stem low vowels raise in the reduplicant. Two major schools of thought have emerged as a result of this, the first one being spearheaded by Schachter and Fromkin’s (1968) funded project on the study of Akan phonology.
    [Show full text]
  • Possessive Constructions in Tongugbe, an Ewe Dialect Promise Dodzi Kpoglu
    Possessive constructions in Tongugbe, an Ewe dialect Promise Dodzi Kpoglu To cite this version: Promise Dodzi Kpoglu. Possessive constructions in Tongugbe, an Ewe dialect. Linguistics. Université de Lille; Universiteit Leiden (Leyde, Pays-Bas), 2019. English. NNT : 2019LILUH003. tel-02453932 HAL Id: tel-02453932 https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-02453932 Submitted on 24 Jan 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. UNIVERSITÉ DE LILLE CONSTRUCTIONS POSSESSIVES EN TONGUGBE, UN DIALECTE DE L'ÉWÉ POSSESSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS IN TONGUGBE, AN EWE DIALECT Promise DODZI KPOGLU Soutenue le 28 Février 2019 Directeurs de thèse: Prof.dr. A. Carlier (Université de Lille, Lille) Prof.dr. M.P.G.M. Mous (Université de Leyde, Leyde) Co-encadrant: Dr. F.K. Ameka (Université de Leyde, Leyde) Membres du jury: Prof.emer. D. Creissels (Université Lumière, Lyon) Prof.dr. M. Vanhove (Inalco & LLACAN CNRS, Paris) Prof.dr. J.E.C.V. Rooryck (Université de Leyde, Leyde), Président Dr. P.K. Agbedor (Central University, Accra) Dr. C. Patin (Université de Lille, Lille) POSSESSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS IN TONGUGBE, AN EWE DIALECT Possessive constructions in Tongugbe, an Ewe dialect Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van Doctor aan de Universiteit Leiden, op gezag van Rector Magnificus prof.mr.
    [Show full text]
  • On Language and Development in Africa: the Case of Ghana* ADAMS B
    Nordic Journal of African Studies 5(2): 31-51 (1996) On Language and Development in Africa: The Case of Ghana* ADAMS B. BODOMO Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway ABSTRACT In their search for solutions to the development problems of Africa, students of African development have often ignored linguistic and other socio-cultural resources (Prah 1993). When linguistic issues are addressed at all, the fact that there is a multiplicity of languages in African countries is often seen as a hindrance to the development of the continent. This paper focuses on the relationship between language and development and offers a specific proposal for addressing issues of language policy and planning in Africa. Taking the language situation in Ghana as a case study, a model of development communication and education termed localized trilingualism is proposed; a model, it is believed, will enable Africa to harness its multilingual resources for accelerated and sustainable socio-cultural, economic and technological development in the 21st century. INTRODUCTION The theme of this paper is better highlighted by the story of some young agricultural extension officers and their experiences on one of their first field trips. These young African experts graduated from one of the universities in Africa and were ready to impart new farming technologies to rural farmers in various areas of their country. On the very first day of their jobs they came to terms with one issue which had apparently been neglected in the course of their training: language, that most important tool of communication. In spite of all the academic theorizing about sharing new technologies with the indigenous people, apparently nobody ever thought that these scholars were going to start working with people, the majority of whom did not communicate in their language of education, in the language in which all the wonderful theories of agricultural extension were propounded.
    [Show full text]
  • Segmental and Non-Segmental Phonology of Kūnámá ̄
    Segmental and Non-Segmental Phonology of ūáá̄ Anteneh Getachew Damtew A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Linguistics and Philology Presented in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in Documentary Linguistics and Culture Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia June 2018 ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES This is to certify that the dissertation prepared by Anteneh Getachew Damtew, entitled: Segmental and Non-Segmental Phonology of ūáá ̄ and submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in Documentary Linguistics and Culture) complies with the regulations of the University and meets the accepted standards with respect to originality and quality. Signed by the Examining Committeeː Examinerː____________________Signature____________Date_________ (External) Examinerː____________________Signature____________Date_________ (Internal) Advisor:_____________________Signature____________Date_________ Chair of Department or Graduate Program Coordinator ABSTRACT This dissertation presents the descriptions of the segmental and non-segmental phonology of Kunama, a Nilo-Saharan dialect cluster spoken in Western Eritrea and Northern Ethiopia. It also provides an annotated multimedia corpus of the names and description of the Kunama cultural artifacts. The study uses primary data recorded from speakers of the Kunama Shukre dialect, spoken by an isolated minority group living in Tahtay Addi Yabo Woreda of Northwestern Zone of the Tigray Regional State, Ethiopia.
    [Show full text]
  • ED373534.Pdf
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 373 534 FL 022 094 AUTHOR Bodomo, Adams B. TITLE Complex Predicates and Event Structure: An Integrated Analysis of Serial Verb Constructions in the Mabia Languages of West Africa. Working Papers in Linguistics No. 20. INSTITUTION Trondheim Univ. (Norway). Dept. of Linguistics. REPORT NO ISSN-0802-3956 PUB DATE 93 NOTE 148p.; Thesis, University of Trondheim, Norway. Map on page 110 may not reproduce well. PUB TYPE Dissertations/Theses Undetermined (040) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *African Languages; Foreign Countries; *Grammar; *Language Patterns; Language Research; Language Variation; *Semantics; Structural Analysis (Linguistics); *Syntax; Uncommonly Taught Languages; *Verbs IDENTIFIERS Africa (West); Dagari ABSTRACT An integrated analysis of the syntax and semantics of serial verb constructions (SVCs) in a group of West African languages is presented. With data from Dagadre and closest relatives, a structural definition for SVCs is developed (two or more lexical verbs that share grammatical categories within a clause), establishing SVCs as complex predicates. Based on syntactic theories, a formal phrase structure is adapted forrepresentation of SVCs, interpreting each as a product of a series of VP adjunctions. Within this new, non-derivational, pro-expansionary approach to grammar, several principles are developed to license grammatical information flow and verbal ordering priority. Based on semantic theories, a functional account of SVCs is developed: that the actions represented by the verbs in the SVC together express a single, complex event. A new model of e. -ant structure for allconstructional transitions is proposed, and it is illustrated how two types of these transitions, West African SVCs and Scandinavian small clause constructions(SCCs), conform to this proposed event structure.
    [Show full text]
  • Cover Title: Dictionary of Phonetics and Phonology Author
    cover file:///D:/Documents%20and%20Settings/superstar/Mes%20document... Cover title: Dictionary of Phonetics and Phonology author: Trask, R. L. publisher: Taylor & Francis Routledge isbn10 | asin: print isbn13: 9780203696026 ebook isbn13: 9780203695111 language: English subject Phonetics--Dictionaries, Grammar, Comparative and general--Dictionaries.--Phonology , Gramática comparada y general--Fonología--Diccionarios, Phonetics, Phonology. publication date: 1996 lcc: P216.T73 1996eb ddc: 414/.03 subject: Phonetics--Dictionaries, Grammar, Comparative and general--Dictionaries.--Phonology , Gramática comparada y general--Fonología--Diccionarios, Phonetics, Phonology. cover Page i A Dictionary of Phonetics and Phonology Written for students of linguistics, applied linguistics and speech therapy, this dictionary covers over 2,000 terms in phonetics and phonology. In addition to providing a comprehensive yet concise guide to an enormous number of individual terms, it also includes an explanation of the most important theoretical approaches to phonology. Its usefulness as a reference tool is further enhanced by the inclusion of pronunciations, notational devices and symbols, earliest sources of terms, suggestions for further reading, and advice with regard to usage. R.L.Trask is Lecturer in Linguistics in the School of Cognitive and Computing Sciences at the University of Sussex. His previous publications include A Dictionary of Grammatical Terms in Linguistics (1993), Language Change (1994) and Language: The Basics (1995). page_i Page ii This page intentionally left blank. page_ii Page iii A Dictionary of Phonetics and Phonology R.L.Trask London and New York 1 of 246 10/04/2010 11:56 cover file:///D:/Documents%20and%20Settings/superstar/Mes%20document... page_iii Page iv First published 1996 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005.
    [Show full text]