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Mamaindê Grammar Mamaindê Grammar: A Northern Nambikwara language and its cultural context Volume I Published by LOT phone: +31 30 253 6006 Janskerkhof 13 fax: +31 30 253 6406 3512 BL Utrecht e-mail: [email protected] The Netherlands http://www.lotschool.nl Cover illustration: “Beyond the Threshold” – portrait of a Mamaindê child by Micah Eberhard (graphite on paper). ISBN: 978-94-6093-012-6 NUR 616 Copyright © 2009: David M. Eberhard. All rights reserved. VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT Mamaindê Grammar: a Northern Nambikwara language and its cultural context ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof.dr. L.M. Bouter, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de faculteit der Letteren op maandag 7 december 2009 om 13.45 uur in de forum zaal van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door David Mark Eberhard geboren te Siguatepeque, Honduras promotor: prof.dr. W.L.M. Wetzels copromotor: prof.dr. W.F.H. Adelaar Dedication To my son, Micah David Eberhard, 1987-2007, whose unexpected passing during the writing of this work has enabled me to finally understand that linguistics is simply one of my favorite unimportant things in life. 1 Thanks Micah, for pointing out the truly important things… 1 Adapted from the words of a friend, Keith Lango. contents acknowledgements...................................................................................................... i abbreviations............................................................................................................. iii i preliminaries......................................................................................................v i.i goal, target and motivation of research........................................................ v i.ii research data ........................................................................................... v i.iii theoretical assumptions.......................................................................... vi i.iv limitations .............................................................................................. vi 1 Mamaindê: Painting the Broader Picture...........................................................1 1.1 The Cultural Context .............................................................................. 1 1.1.1 The Language-Culture Link...........................................................1 1.1.2 Ethnic Denomination......................................................................2 1.1.3 Environmental System ...................................................................2 1.1.4 The Social System..........................................................................9 1.1.4.1 Mamaindê Communities............................................................9 1.1.4.2 Mamaindê Kinship and Descent..............................................17 1.1.4.3 Mamaindê Economy................................................................17 1.1.4.4 Mamaindê Rites and Ceremonies............................................19 1.1.5 Worldview....................................................................................19 1.2 The Linguistic Context ......................................................................... 21 1.2.1 The Nambikwara Language Family.............................................21 1.2.2 The Merging of Lects...................................................................31 1.2.3 The Mamaindê Sociolinguistic Situation .....................................32 1.3 The Historical Context.......................................................................... 36 1.3.1 A Brief Overview of Nambikwara History ..................................37 1.3.2 The History of the Mamaindê.......................................................42 2 Phonology........................................................................................................49 2.1 The Mamaindê Phonemes..................................................................... 49 2.1.1 The Consonants............................................................................52 2.1.1.1 Phonemic Contrasts of Consonants .........................................52 2.1.1.2 Unaspirated Plosives................................................................55 2.1.1.2.1 The /p/ ..............................................................................57 2.1.1.2.1.1 Phonotactics.............................................................57 2.1.1.2.1.2 The Allophones........................................................58 2.1.1.2.1.3 The Special Case of the [ ʙ] ......................................59 2.1.1.2.2 The /t/ ...............................................................................60 2.1.1.2.2.1 Phonotactics.............................................................60 2.1.1.2.2.2 The Allophones........................................................60 2.1.1.2.2.3 Non-Allophonic Variants.........................................64 2.1.1.2.2.4 The Underspecified /T/ and its Allophones..............65 2.1.1.2.3 The /k/ ..............................................................................67 2.1.1.2.3.1 Phonotactics.............................................................67 2.1.1.2.3.2 The Allophones........................................................67 2.1.1.2.4 The /ʔ/ ...............................................................................68 2.1.1.2.4.1 Phonotactics.............................................................68 2.1.1.2.4.2 The Allophones........................................................69 2.1.1.3 Aspirated Plosives ...................................................................70 2.1.1.3.1 The /p ʰ/.............................................................................71 2.1.1.3.1.1 Phonotactics.............................................................71 2.1.1.3.1.2 The Allophones........................................................71 2.1.1.3.2 The /t ʰ/..............................................................................71 2.1.1.3.2.1 Phonotactics.............................................................71 2.1.1.3.2.2 The Allophones........................................................72 2.1.1.3.3 The /k ʰ/.............................................................................72 2.1.1.3.3.1 Phonotactics.............................................................72 2.1.1.3.3.2 The Allophones........................................................73 2.1.1.4 Glottalized Consonants............................................................74 2.1.1.5 Fricatives .................................................................................76 2.1.1.5.1 The /h/ ..............................................................................76 2.1.1.5.1.1 Phonotactics.............................................................76 2.1.1.5.1.2 The Allophones........................................................78 2.1.1.5.2 The /s/...............................................................................79 2.1.1.5.2.1 Phonotactics.............................................................79 2.1.1.5.2.2 The Allophones........................................................79 2.1.1.5.2.3 The Underspecified /S/ and its Allophones..............80 2.1.1.6 Nasals ......................................................................................83 2.1.1.6.1 The /m/ .............................................................................83 2.1.1.6.1.1 Phonotactics.............................................................83 2.1.1.6.1.2 The Allophones........................................................83 2.1.1.6.2 The /n/ ..............................................................................84 2.1.1.6.2.1 Phonotactics.............................................................84 2.1.1.6.2.2 The Allophones........................................................84 2.1.1.6.2.3 Non-Allophonic Variants.........................................85 2.1.1.6.2.4 The Underspecified Nasal and its Variants ..............85 2.1.1.7 Liquids.....................................................................................92 2.1.1.7.1 The /l/ ...............................................................................92 2.1.1.7.1.1 Phonotactics:............................................................92 2.1.1.7.1.2 The Allophones:.......................................................92 2.1.1.7.1.3 Non-Allophonic Variants.........................................93 2.1.1.8 Glides.......................................................................................93 2.1.1.8.1 The /j/ ...............................................................................93 2.1.1.8.1.1 Phonotactics:............................................................93 2.1.1.8.1.2 The Allophones:.......................................................94 2.1.1.8.2 The /w/..............................................................................94 2.1.1.8.2.1 Phonotactics:............................................................94 2.1.1.8.2.2 The Allophones:.......................................................95 2.1.1.8.2.3 Non-Allophonic Variants.........................................95 2.1.2 The Vowels ..................................................................................96 2.1.2.1 Oral Vowels.............................................................................96 2.1.2.2 Nasal Vowels...........................................................................96
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