Subjects and Objects in Assiniboine Nakoda Shannon Louise West B.A
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Subjects and Objects in Assiniboine Nakoda Shannon Louise West B.A., University of Regina, 1998 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the Department of Linguistics 0 Shannon Louise West, 2003 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. Supervisor: Dr. Leslie Saxon Abstract The Assiniboine Nakoda language spoken by aboriginal peoples of southeastern Saskatchewan and northern Montana can be characterized as a language with configurational sentence structure and mixed argument type. Subjects and objects of the Nakoda verb are arranged hierarchically with respect to each other. Subjects c-command objects, but objects do not c-command subjects. The object is a sister to the verb, but the subject occupies a position outside of the Verb Phrase. This asymmetry between subjects and objects is evident in coordination constructions. Binding data also indicates an asymmetry that is not expected in a flat structure analysis. Subjects and objects are realized as Determiner Phrases or null pronominals (pro). Arguments are almost always realized as the null pronominal. 3rd person arguments may also appear as Determiner Phrases. Local arguments (1st and 2nd persons) are expressed in the form ofpro in agreement with person and number prefixes on the verb. Table of Contents .. Abstract ................................................................................................................................ 11 ... Table of Contents................................................................................................................ 111 List of Figures and Tables................................................................................................... vi .. Acknowledgements............................................................................................................ VII Chapter 1 - Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 1. 0 - Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1 1. 1 Overview ..................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Assiniboine Nakoda ................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Introduction to the syntax of Assiniboine Nakoda ..................................................... 3 1.4 Introduction to Theoretical Issues.............................................................................. 8 1.5 Syntactic Framework ............................................................................................ 9 1.5.1 The Minimalist Program ................................................................................... 10 1.6 Review ..................................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 2 - Literature Review ............................................................................................ 13 2.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 13 2.1 Pronominal Argument Hypothesis and Configurationality ...................................... 14 2.1.1 The Pronominal Argument Hypothesis............................................................ 16 2.1 .1.1 Jelinek's Pronominal Argument Hypothesis.............................................. 16 2.1 .1.2 Baker's Polysynthesis Parameter ............................................................... 17 2.1.2 Configurationality ............................................................................................. 20 2.1.3 On the Relationship between Configurationality and Pronominal Arguments.22 2.1.4 Jelinek and Broadwell on Choctaw................................................................... 24 2.2 Siouan Argument Structures.................................................................................... 26 2.2.1 Schudel 1997..................................................................................................... 26 2.2.2 Graczyk 1991.................................................................................................... 27 2.2.3 Van Valin 1977................................................................................................. 28 2.2.4 Rood & Taylor 1996......................................................................................... 29 2.2.5 Williamson 1984............................................................................................... 29 2.3 Review ..................................................................................................................... 30 Chapter 3 - A Configurational Approach to Nakoda Sentence Structure .......................... 31 3.1 Evidence of configurationality ................................................................................. 32 3.1.1 Coordination data .............................................................................................. 32 3.1.1 .1 Argument Sharing ................................................................................... 32 3.1 -1-2 Optional agreement morphology on 1 st conjuncts..................................... 35 3.1.1 -3 An Aside on the COP.................................................................................. 37 3.1 .1.4 Scope of Enclitics................................................................................... 38 ... 3.1 .1.5 Scope of Auxil~aries.................................................................................... 45 3.1.1.6 Scope of Adverbs .................................................................................. 46 . 3.1.2 Word order restrictions .............................................................................. 48 . 3.1 -3 Binding cond~tions............................................................................................ 49 3.1.3.1 Reflexives .............................................................................................. 51 3.1.3.2 Possessives and Possessive Reflexives ...................................................... 53 3.1.4 Other tests of configurationality ........................................................................ 57 3.3 Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 57 Chapter 4 - Subjects and Objects....................................................................................... 58 4.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 58 . 4.1 Determiner Phrases in Argument Position ............................................................... 58 4.1 .1 Binding Condition C ....................................................................................... 59 4.1.2 Quantification ........................ .. ........................... 64 4.1 .2.1 The lack of D-type quantifiers in Pronominal Argument Languages ........ 73 4.1.2.1 -1 D-type quantifiers in Nakoda ........................................................... 74 4.1.2.2 The lack of non-referential quantifiers in Pronominal Argument languages ................................................................................................................................ 79 4.1.2.2.1 Non-referential Quantifiers in Nakoda ........................................... 80 4.1.3. WH- in-situ in Nakoda ................................................................................ 83 4.1.4 The Impossibility of WH- in-situ in Pronominal Argument Languages........... 84 4.1.4.1 Indefinite DPs and Unselective Binding .................................................... 85 4.2 Person Marking Prefixes as Agreement Morphology.............................................. 87 4.2.1 Independent Personal Pronouns .................................................................. 88 4.2.2 Other Redundant Person Marking ..................................................................... 93 4.2.3 The Unaccusative Hypothesis ........................................................................ 95 4.3 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 97 Chapter 5 .Concluding Remarks ....................................................................................... 99 5.0 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 99 5.1 Implications for Current Research ........................................................................... 99 5.2 Further Research .................................................................................................... I00 5.2.1 Verbal Enclitics ............................................................................................ 100 5.2.2 Verbal derivation ....................................................................................... 104 5.2.3 Morphological ordering of agreement........................................................ 105 5.2.3.1 "Double Patient" Verbs ............................................................................ 106 5.2.4 Is there a difference between noun and verb? ...............................................