Mato Grammar Sketch
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Data Papers on Papua New Guinea Languages Volume 59 Mato Grammar Sketch Scot F. Stober 2013 SIL-PNG Academic Publications Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea Papers in the series Data Papers on Papua New Guinea Languages express the authors’ knowledge at the time of writing. They normally do not provide a comprehensive treatment of the topic and may contain analyses which will be modified at a later stage. However, given the large number of undescribed languages in Papua New Guinea, SIL-PNG feels that it is appropriate to make these research results available at this time. René van den Berg, Series Editor Copyright © 2013 SIL-PNG Papua New Guinea [email protected] Published 2013 Printed by SIL Printing Press Ukarumpa, Eastern Highlands Province Papua New Guinea ISBN 9980 0 3877 2 Table of Contents Maps, tables and figures ............................................................................ vii Abbreviations ............................................................................................... ix Acknowledgements ...................................................................................... xi 1. Introduction .......................................................................................... 1 1.1 Location ......................................................................................... 1 1.2 Name .............................................................................................. 1 1.3 Economy ........................................................................................ 4 1.4 Transportation ................................................................................ 4 1.5 Education ....................................................................................... 5 1.6 Religion .......................................................................................... 5 1.7 History and linguistic situation ...................................................... 6 1.8 Methodology .................................................................................. 9 1.9 Typology ........................................................................................ 9 2. Phonology ............................................................................................ 11 2.1 Phonemes ..................................................................................... 11 2.2 Syllable structure.......................................................................... 13 2.3 Stress ............................................................................................ 14 2.4 Morphophonemics ....................................................................... 15 2.4.1 Vowel insertion ............................................................... 16 2.4.2 Vowel deletion ................................................................ 16 2.4.3 /u/-insertion ..................................................................... 17 2.4.4 /x/-deletion ...................................................................... 18 2.4.5 Vowel harmony .............................................................. 18 2.4.6 Geminate vowel sequence coalescence .......................... 19 2.4.7 /k/-insertion ..................................................................... 20 2.4.8 Repetitive reduplication .................................................. 21 2.4.9 Reduction of /noɑ/ and /nɑ/ to /ŋ/ ................................... 22 2.4.10 Haplology ....................................................................... 23 2.5 Orthography ................................................................................. 23 3. Nouns and noun phrases .................................................................... 24 3.1 Pronouns ...................................................................................... 24 iii iv 3.1.1 Independent (free) pronouns ........................................... 24 3.1.2 Possessor suffixes on nouns ............................................ 25 3.1.3 Subject prefixes ............................................................... 26 3.1.4 Object suffixes ................................................................ 28 3.2 Nouns ............................................................................................ 29 3.3 Articles ......................................................................................... 37 3.4 Demonstratives ............................................................................. 38 3.5 Numerals and number marking .................................................... 41 3.5.1 Cardinal numbers ............................................................ 41 3.5.2 Number marking ............................................................. 42 3.5.3 Other quantifiers .............................................................. 43 3.6 Adjectives and nominal modifiers ................................................ 44 3.6.1 True adjectives ................................................................ 46 3.6.2 Multicategorical adjectives ............................................. 47 3.6.3 Further noun modification strategies ............................... 51 3.7 Basic noun phrase structure .......................................................... 53 3.8 Possession ..................................................................................... 55 4. Verbs and verb phrases ...................................................................... 57 4.1 Verbal inflection and derivation ................................................... 57 4.1.1 Subject marker ................................................................ 57 4.1.2 Causative marker (ha-) .................................................... 58 4.1.3 Repetitive reduplication .................................................. 59 4.1.4 Transitiviser (-a) .............................................................. 60 4.1.5 Distributive marker (-ia) ................................................. 61 4.1.6 Intensifier (-uti ~ -ti) ....................................................... 62 4.1.7 Object marker .................................................................. 63 4.1.8 Directional derivation (ma-) ............................................ 65 4.1.9 Nominaliser (-nga and -ia) .............................................. 67 4.2 Basic verb phrase structure ........................................................... 67 4.3 Verb serialisation .......................................................................... 68 5. Clause structure .................................................................................. 70 5.1 Verbless clauses ............................................................................ 70 5.1.1 Equative clauses .............................................................. 70 5.1.2 Nominal stative clauses ................................................... 70 5.2 Verbal clauses: core arguments .................................................... 74 5.2.1 Basic intransitive clauses ................................................ 74 5.2.2 Basic transitive clauses.................................................... 75 5.2.3 Ditransitive clauses ......................................................... 76 v 5.2.4 Topicalised object ........................................................... 77 5.2.5 Obligatory constituents ................................................... 77 5.2.6 Existential-copular clauses ............................................. 78 5.3 Verbal clauses: peripheral arguments .......................................... 81 5.3.1 Adpositional phrases ....................................................... 81 5.3.2 Locatives ......................................................................... 88 5.3.3 Adverbs ........................................................................... 89 5.3.4 Distribution of peripheral elements .............................. 112 6. Imperative and interrogative sentences ......................................... 117 6.1 Imperative sentences .................................................................. 117 6.1.1 Positive imperative ....................................................... 117 6.1.2 Negative imperative ...................................................... 117 6.2 Interrogative sentences ............................................................... 118 6.2.1 Polar questions .............................................................. 118 6.2.2 Content questions ......................................................... 119 7. Complex sentences............................................................................ 125 7.1 Juxtaposition .............................................................................. 125 7.2 Conjoined clauses ...................................................................... 125 7.2.1 Continuity (baing and saing) ........................................ 126 7.2.2 Sequential (saking) ....................................................... 127 7.2.3 Simultaneous (bungina) ................................................ 128 7.2.4 Simultaneous (xauna) ................................................... 128 7.2.5 Alternation (kimbo) ....................................................... 129 7.2.6 Contrast (ne) ................................................................. 129 7.2.7 Contraexpectation (ning) .............................................. 131 7.2.8 Causal (namua na) ........................................................ 131 7.2.9 Result