DOCSLIB.ORG

American Languages

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
American Languages SENRI ETHNOLoGIcAL STuDIEs No. 39 NATIVE MIDDLE AMERICAN LANGUAGES AN AREAL-TYPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE by Yoshiho YASUGI National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka 1995 Acknowledgments I wish to express my deep appreciation and gratitude to Lyle Campbell for his valuable comments and suggestions. This work is an outgrowth of my doctoral dissertation, entitled "An Areal-Typological Study of Middle American Indian Languages" (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 1993). Chapters 2, 3 and 6 were written as part of the proj ect titled "A Comprehensive Study of the Func- tion and Typology of Language" headed by Masayoshi Shibatani, with a grant-in- aid from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of the Japanese Govern- ment. I would like to thank Tasaku Tsunoda, a member of my dissertation commit- tee, for supplying numerous references as well as for his helpful comments and criticisms on earlier versions of this study. I owe a considerable debt to him for pointing out to me that the square proposed in Chapter 6 has a cyclic nature and that this is a new type of relation. I would like to acknowledge the advice and sup- port of the other members of my committee: Etsuko Kuroda, Osahito Miyaoka, Hiroyasu Tomoeda, Osamu Sakiyama, and Yasuhiko Nagano. I am so much in- debted to them that it is unlikely that I will be able to repay their kindness fully. Since English is not my native language, I frequ'ently do not perceive subtle differences in meaning and cannot always chOose the best possible phrasing. Even worse, I feel that my logic significantly differs from that of native English speakers. Although faced with these diMculties, I elected to write this monograph in English given the predominance of English in the academic world, with the result that at times I felt linguistically handicapped. Jaan Ingle aided me in bvercoming these obstacles, and I wish to acknowledge her help in editing and proofreading the final version of this monograph. iii Contents page Acknowledgments iii Table of Contents v List of Tables Vll List of Maps Vll List of Figures viii Key to Abbreviations and Symbols Viii PART I 1. Introduction 3 2. PhonologicalSystems 11 2.1. PhonologicalDescriptions 12 2.2. Consonant System Typology 14 2.2.1. Statistical Survey 15 2.2.2. StopSystems 21 2.2.3. Fricative Systems 30 2.2.4. Nasal Systems 36 2.2.5. Liquid Systems 40 2.2.6. GlideSystems 43 2.3. Vowel System Typology 45 2.3.1. Statistical Survey 47 2.3.2. Typological Survey 48 2.3.3. ToneSystems 54 2.4. Summary 57 3. Areal Features and Linguistic Universals 59 3.1. Areal Features of Phonological Systems 59 3.1.1. Possession of Rare Traits 59 3.1.2. LackofCommonTraits 64 3.2. Linguistic Universals 65 3.2.1. Stops and Fricatives 65 3.2.2. Nasals 69 3.2.3. Liquids 70 3.2.4. Vowels 71 3.3. Summary 75 4. NumeralSystems 77 4.1. Some Problems in the Description of Counting Methods 78 4.2. Materials and Their Analysis 81 4.3. Discussion 83 v vi Native Middle American Languages 4.3.1. Uto-Aztecan 85 4.3.2. 0tomanguean 93 4.3.3. Mayan 97 4.3.4. Mixe-Zoquean 1OO 4.3.5. 0therLanguages 101 4.4. Summary 103 5. WordOrderTypology 107 5.1. Linguistic Materials and Their Analysis 107 5.2. Language Types and Language Classification 109 5.3. Discussion 115 5.3.1. S/O/VOrder 115 5.3.2. The Relative Order of S/O/V and Pr/Po 120 5.3.3. Coexistence of Po and Pr 123 5.3.4. GN/NG 125 5.3.5. AN/NA 126 5.3.6. PN/NP 128 5.3.7. DN/ND 129 5.3.8. QN/NQ 129 5.4. Summary 130 6. Toward a New Typology of Language: Typology of the Syntactic Relations of Cross-Referencing Pronominals 133 6.1. PersonMarkingSystem 134 6.2. PronominalSquare 135 6.3. Types of Pronominal Square 137 6.4. Discussion 147 6.5. Summary 151 7. Conclusions 153 PART II Database 1: Phonological Systems 167 Database 2: Numeral Systems 241 Database 3: Word Order Typology 345 Notes 407 Appendices 1. PhonemeCharts 411 2. Distribution of Number of Consonants in Native Middle American Languages 412 3. Vowel Inventories of Native Middle American Languages 418 Maps 429 Bibliography 447 Language Index 475 Subject Index 480 Contents vii Tables 1. Classification of Native Middle American languages 2. Distribution in terms of number of consonants in the system 3. Number of stop series 4. Manner contrasts in stops 5. Manner contrasts in fricatives 6. Voiceless stops: number of places of articulation and number of languages 7. Voiced stops: number of places of articulation and number of languages 8. Prenasalized stops: number of places of articulation and number of languages 9. Lenis stops: number of places of articulation and number of languages 10. Fricatives: number of places of articulation and number of languages 11. Nasals: number of places of articulation and number of languages 12. Number of phonemes and variations 13. Number of phonemes and languages in regards to voiceless stops 14. Number of voiceless and voiced stops and number of languages 15. Number of voiceless and prenasal stops and number of languages 16. Number of fortis and lenis stops and number of languages 17. Types of afuicate and sibilant combinations 18. Nasal types 19. Number of nasals and number of languages 20. Distribution of /y/ and /w/ 21. Distribution in terms of number of vowels in the system 22. Symmetrical and asymmetrical systems 23. Number of oral stops and number of languages 24. Number of fricatives and number of languages 25. Number of nasals and number of languages 26. Number of normal length vowels and number of languages 27. The numerals from 1 to 10 in Northern Uto-Aztecan 28. Numeral systems in Northern Uto-Aztecan 29. Distribution of word-order types' 30. Connection between s/v/o and S/V/O 31. Distribution of word order type by type Maps 1. Distribution of Native Middle American languages 2. Distribution ofvowel systems 3. Distribution of vowel quantity and nasality 4. Distribution of glottalized, prenasalized, and fortis-lenis consonants 5. Distribution of /kW/, /q/ and retroflexed consonants 6. Distribution of methods of counting from 1 to 10 7. Distribution of methods of counting from 10 to 20 8. Distribution of methods of counting from 20 on 9. Distribution of methods of forming the word for 100 viii Native Middle American Languages 10. Distribution of methods of counting from 10 to 20 in Mayan languages 11. Distribution of methods of counting from 20 on in Mayan languages 12. Distribution of different words for 20 13. Distribution of methods of counting from 20/21 to 39/40 14. Distribution of methods of counting from 40/41/ to 59/60 15. Distribution of methods of counting from 60/61 to 79/80 16. Distribution of methods of counting from 80/81 to 99 17. Distribution of SOV, SVO, VOS, and VSO Figures 1. Stela 2, Chiapa de Corzo 2-14. Pronominalsquares Key to Abbreviations and Symbols ABS : absolutive ACC : accusatlve . ACT : active AG : agent ART : article AUX : auxiliary C : consonant(s) CL : clitic COMP : completive CONJ : conJunctlon DEF : definite article DEM : demonstrative DEP : dependency marking DIMIN : diminutive DIR : directional DIS : distal DISTR : distributor ERG : ergatlve EXP : experlencer . FEM : feminine FUT : future G : geminated vowel(s) GEN : gemtlve HAB : habitual IMPERF : imperfect INCOMP : incompletive L : long vowel(s) LOC : locative Contents iX MASC masculine MOOD mood N nasalized vowel(s) NCL noun classifier NUCL numeral classifier NONREFL non-reflexive OBJ object PASS passlve PAST past PERF perfective PL plural POSS possesslve POSSD possessed PRON pronoun PROX : proximate (past, future) REALIZED realized REC recent past REF reflexive SG singular SUBJ subj ect TP topicalization V : vowel(s) // phonemic transcription [] phonetic transcription PART I Chapter 1 Introduction Middle America is a multilingual region, where various indigenous languages are still spoken by more than eight million people. The most populous group among them are the speakers of Mayan languages, followed by speakers of Uto- Aztecan and Otomanguean languages. .These groups speak many languages altogether. Smaller groups include the Mixe-Zoquean and the Totonacan, and there are many other isolated languages and small language families. In Central America there is one Arawakan (Garifuna) and a few Chibchan languages which belong with South American language families linguistically; other Central American languages include Misumalpan, Xinca, Lencan and Tol (commonly call- ed Jicaque). Most of these are in danger of extinction or are already dead. Middle America is a politico-geographical construct. As commonly viewed, it includes Mexico and Central America, although northern Mexico is sometimes ex- cluded while the Antilles are sometimes included. Central America extends from Guatemala through Panama. Mesoamerica is another term used in anthropology and linguistics in connection with Middle America. Mesoamerica is, roughly speak- ing, the central part of Middle America, extending from north central Mexico through the western part of El Salvador and Honduras. It was designated a cultural area by Kirchhoff on the basis of its many shared .cultural features [KIRcHHoFF In this study I have chosen 1943]. the languages of :Middle America from the northern Mexican border to the south of Panama. However, it should be noted that, linguistically speaking, Middle America is arbitrarily designated a geographical area. Neither genetic nor'areal linguistic classifications coincide with these boun- daries. On the other hand, it has been shown that Mesoamerica is a linguistic area. Campbell et al. have demopstrated that Mesoamerica is a linguistic area in the sense of others recognized in the literature, such as the Balkans or South Asia [CmeBELL, KAuFMAN, and SMiTH-STARK 1986].
Load more

Recommended publications
  • New Náhuatl Orthography Project
    Un nuevo sistema para la escritura náhuatl A New System for Writing Nahuatl por Eduardo Trager by Ed Trager texto en español editado por Carlos Guardiola Spanish text edited by Carlos Guardiola publicado 1 junio, 2016 Published June 1st, 2016 editado por última vez 19 diciembre, 2016 Last updated December 19th, 2016 http://unifont.org/nahuatl http://unifont.org/nahuatl Indice Contents Introducción Introduction Los orígenes de una nueva Origins of a New Alternative alternativa A Quick Overview Un resumen rapido Nahuatl Phonemes Fonemas en náhuatl Vowels Vocales Vowel Signs Signos vocálicos Writing Long Vowels Escritura de las vocales largas Compound Vowel Signs Signos vocálicos compuestos Native Consonants Consonantes nativas Saltillo and /h/ Saltillo y /h/ Consonant /l/ Consonante /l/ Non-native Consonants Consonantes no nativas Non-native Vowels Vocales no nativas Special Signs Signos especiales Punctuation Puntuación The Complete Abugida El abugida completo How to write the letters Como escribir las letras Memory Aid Chart of the Letters Tabla mnemotécnica de las letras Example 1 Ejemplo 1 Example 2 Ejemplo 2 Example 3 Ejemplo 3 Advantages Vantajas Disadvantages Desvantajas Future Work Trabajo en el futuro Technical Implementation Notes Notas sobre la implementación How to Write in the Abugida técnica Online Cómo escribir en el nuevo OpenType Font and Tools alfasilibario en linea References and Notes La fuente OpenType y herramientas Referencias y notas Introducción Introduction México tiene una larga historia de la There is a long history of writing in Mexico. escritura. Antes de la conquista española, hay Before the Spanish conquest, a rich system of un rico sistema de pictogramas que pictograms that had both ideographic and funcionaron ideográficamente y phonetic functions served as mnemonic fonéticamente y sirvieron como dispositivos devices to inform readers of the names of mnemotécnicos para informar a lectores de places, people, dates, and important events.
    [Show full text]
  • A Critique of the Separation Base Method for Genealogical Subgrouping, with Data from Mixe-Zoquean*
    Journal of Quantitative Linguistics 2006, Volume 13, Numbers 2 – 3, pp. 225 – 264 DOI: 10.1080/09296170600850759 A Critique of the Separation Base Method for Genealogical Subgrouping, with Data from Mixe-Zoquean* Michael Cysouw, Søren Wichmann and David Kamholz Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig ABSTRACT Holm (2000) proposes the ‘‘separation base’’ method for determining subgroup relationships in a language family. The method is claimed to be superior to most approaches to lexicostatistics because the latter falls victim to the ‘‘proportionality trap’’, that is, the assumption that similarity is proportional to closeness of relationship. The principles underlying Holm’s method are innovative and not obviously incorrect. However, his only demonstration of the method is with Indo-European. This makes it difficult to interpret the results, because higher-order Indo-European subgrouping remains controversial. In order to have some basis for verification, we have tested the method on Mixe-Zoquean, a well-studied family of Mesoamerica whose subgrouping has been established by two scholars working independently and using the traditional comparative method. The results of our application of Holm’s method are significantly different from the currently accepted family tree of Mixe-Zoquean. We identify two basic sources of problems that arise when Holm’s approach is applied to our data. The first is reliance on an etymological dictionary of the proto-language in question, which creates problems of circularity that cannot be overcome. The second is that the method is sensitive to the amount of documentation available for the daughter languages, which has a distorting effect on the computed relationships.
    [Show full text]
  • Bftrkeley and LOS ANGELES 1945 SIERRA POPOLUCA FOLKLORE and BELIEFS
    SIERRA POPOLUCA FOLKLORE AND BELIEFS BY GEORGE M. FOSTER UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS IN AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY Volume 42, No. 2, pp. 177-250 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS BFtRKELEY AND LOS ANGELES 1945 SIERRA POPOLUCA FOLKLORE AND BELIEFS BY GEORGE M. FOSTER UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS BERKELEY AND LOS ANGELES 1945 UNIvERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUJBLICATIONS IN AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY EDITORS (Los ANGELES): RALTPH L. BEALS, FRANEKLN FEARING, HARRY HOIJER Volume 42, No. 2, pp. 177-250 Submitted by editors September 30, 1943 Issued January 19, 1945 Price, 75 cents UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS BERKELEY AND Los ANGELES CALIFORNIA CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON, ENGLAND PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERIOA CONTENTS PAGE I. INTTRODUCTION ........................ .......................... 177 II. STORIIES 1. The Origin of Maize .................................................. 191 2. The Origin of Maize (Second Version) ....................... 196 3. Two Men Meet a Rayo .................................................. 196 4. Story of the Armadillo .................................................. 198 5. Why the Alligator Has No Tongue ......................... 199 6. How the Turkey Lost His Means of Defense . .................... 199 7. Origin of the Partridge .................................................. 199 8. Why Copal Is Burned for the Chanekos ....................... 200 9. An Encounter with Chanekos ............................................. 201 10. The Chaneko, The Man, His Mistress,
    [Show full text]
  • Universidaddesonora
    U N I V E R S I D A D D E S O N O R A División de Humanidades y Bellas Artes Maestría en Lingüística Adverbial clauses in Veracruz Huasteca Nahuatl from a functional-typological approach TESIS Que para optar por el grado de Maestro en Lingüística Presenta Jesús Francisco Olguín Martínez 2016 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABBREVIATIONS INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1 Veracruz Huasteca Nahuatl: Some basic grammatical facts 5 1.1 Grammatical background 9 1.1.1 Phonological sketch 9 1.1.2 Word verb forms, noun phrases and adpositional phrases 10 1.1.2.1 Word verb forms 10 1.1.2.2 Noun phrases 13 1.1.2.3 Adpositional phrases 14 1.1.3 Simple clause 15 1.1.4 Alignment system 17 1.1.5 Primary object language 19 1.1.6 Head-marking language 20 CHAPTER 2 Adverbial clauses: Theoretical preliminaries 22 2.1 Function and form of adverbial clauses: Some basic notions 22 2.2 Adverbial clauses: A semantic and morphosyntactic analysis 30 2.2.1 Temporal clauses 30 2.2.1.1 Precedence 31 2.2.1.2 Subsequence 37 2.2.1.2.1 Subsequence: Chronological order 38 2.2.1.2.2 Subsequence: Cause/reason 40 2.2.1.3 Simultaneity 43 2.2.2 Conditional clauses 47 2.2.3 Concessive conditionals 51 2.2.4 Cause/reason 53 2.2.4.1 Agentive external cause for the event 54 2.2.4.2 Non-agentive external cause for the event 55 2.2.4.3 Eventive external reason for the action 55 2.2.4.4 Non-eventive external reason for the action 56 2.2.4.5 Eventive internal reason for the action 56 2.2.4.6 Non-eventive internal reason for the action 57 2.2.5 Concessive clauses 57 2.2.6 Purpose clauses 62 2.2.7
    [Show full text]
  • LIN 631 Linguistic Description of American Languages
    Course: LIN 631 Linguistic description of American languages: Typological properties of Mesoamerican languages Term: Fall 2007 Text: Readings on reserve Meetings: T/R15:30 -16:50 in 118 Baldy Instructor: Dr. Jürgen Bohnemeyer – Office 627 Baldy Phone 645-2177 ext 727 E-mail [email protected] Office hours T 11:00-11:30 and R 10:00-11:00 Overview: The seminar covers Mesoamerican (MA) and adjacent languages. 1 The MA linguistic and cultural area stretches from the Valley of Mexico in the North to the northern Honduran border on the Caribbean coast and well into Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. The MA languages comprise five unrelated families: Otomanguean; Aztecan (a branch of the larger Uto-Aztecan language family); Totonacan; Mixe- Zoquean; and Mayan. A number of MA languages are isolates or of uncertain genealogical grouping; these include Purépecha (or Tarascan), Huave, Oaxaca Chontal (or Tequistlatec), and Xinca. The MA languages have long been recognized as forming a sprachbund or linguistic area. Several millennia of intensive contact have changed the members of the various unrelated language families so as to enhance their compatibility in formal and semantic categories. Phenomena that are pervasive in the MA area include head-marking; ergative and split-intransitive traits in both morphology and syntax; alignment-hierarchy (or “obviation”) effects in argument linking; verb-initial and verb-final constituent orders; morpho-syntactic alienable-inalienable distinctions in adnominal possession; (numeral, nominal, and possessive) classificatory systems; and lack of deictic tense coupled with rich systems of aspectual and modal marking. Polysynthesis, in the sense that syntactic relations and processes tend to have morphological reflexes at the word level and in the sense that content words, in combination with the necessary inflections and function words, can constitute clauses by themselves (independently of their lexical category), is widespread in most MA language families, the most important exception being Otomanguean.
    [Show full text]
  • Phonetic Properties of Oral Stops in Three Languages with No Voicing Distinction
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 9-2018 Phonetic Properties of Oral Stops in Three Languages with No Voicing Distinction Stephanie M. Kakadelis The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2871 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] PHONETIC PROPERTIES OF ORAL STOPS IN THREE LANGUAGES WITH NO VOICING DISTINCTION by STEPHANIE MARIE KAKADELIS A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Linguistics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2018 © 2018 STEPHANIE MARIE KAKADELIS All Rights Reserved ii Phonetic Properties of Oral Stops in Three Languages with No Voicing Distinction by Stephanie Marie Kakadelis This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Linguistics in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Date Juliette Blevins Chair of Examining Committee Date Gita Martohardjono Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: Douglas H. Whalen Jason Bishop Claire Bowern (Yale University) THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT Phonetic Properties of Oral Stops in Three Languages with No Voicing Distinction by Stephanie Marie Kakadelis Advisor: Juliette Blevins Almost all studies on the phonetics of oral stop voicing patterns focus on languages with a voicing distinction. This gives rise to some debate regarding which aspects of voicing patterns arise from inherent articulatory effects related to the production of a voicing distinction, and which aspects are intentional adjustments by speakers meant to enhance a phonological contrast.
    [Show full text]
  • Language EI Country Genetic Unit Speakers RI Acatepec Tlapanec 5
    Language EI Country Genetic Unit Speakers RI Acatepec Tlapanec 5 Mexico Subtiapa-Tlapanec 33000 1 Alacatlatzala Mixtec 4.5 Mexico Mixtecan 23000 2 Alcozauca Mixtec 5 Mexico Mixtecan 10000 3 Aloápam Zapotec 4 Mexico Zapotecan 2100 4 Amatlán Zapotec 5 Mexico Zapotecan 6000 5 Amoltepec Mixtec 3 Mexico Mixtecan 6000 6 Ascunción Mixtepec Zapotec 1 Mexico Zapotecan 100 7 Atatláhuca Mixtec 5 Mexico Mixtecan 8300 8 Ayautla Mazatec 5 Mexico Popolocan 3500 9 Ayoquesco Zapotec 3 Mexico Zapotecan < 900 10 Ayutla Mixtec 5 Mexico Mixtecan 8500 11 Azoyú Tlapanec 1 Mexico Subtiapa-Tlapanec < 680 12 Aztingo Matlatzinca 1 Mexico Otopamean > < 100 13 Matlatzincan Cacaloxtepec Mixtec 2.5 Mexico Mixtecan < 850 14 Cajonos Zapotec 4 Mexico Zapotecan 5000 15 Central Hausteca Nahuatl 5 Mexico Uto-Aztecan 200000 16 Central Nahuatl 3 Mexico Uto-Aztecan 40000 17 Central Pame 4 Mexico Pamean 4350 18 Central Puebla Nahuatl 4.5 Mexico Uto-Aztecan 16000 19 Chaopan Zapotec 5 Mexico Zapotecan 24000 20 Chayuco Mixtec 5 Mexico Mixtecan 30000 21 Chazumba Mixtec 2 Mexico Mixtecan < 2,500 22 Chiapanec 1 Mexico Chiapanec-Mangue < 20 23 Chicahuaxtla Triqui 5 Mexico Mixtecan 6000 24 Chichicapan Zapotec 4 Mexico Zapotecan 4000 25 Chichimeca-Jonaz 3 Mexico Otopamean > < 200 26 Chichimec Chigmecatitlan Mixtec 3 Mexico Mixtecan 1600 27 Chiltepec Chinantec 3 Mexico Chinantecan < 1,000 28 Chimalapa Zoque 3.5 Mexico Zoque 4500 29 Chiquihuitlán Mazatec 3.5 Mexico Popolocan 2500 30 Chochotec 3 Mexico Popolocan 770 31 Coatecas Altas Zapotec 4 Mexico Zapotecan 5000 32 Coatepec Nahuatl 2.5
    [Show full text]
  • Social Exclusion and the Negotiation of Afro-Mexican Identity in the Costa Chica of Oaxaca, Mexico
    Social Exclusion and the Negotiation of Afro-Mexican Identity in the Costa Chica of Oaxaca, Mexico. Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde der Philosophischen Fakultät der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg i. Br. vorgelegt von Tristano Volpato aus Verona, Italien WS 2013/2014 Erstgutachter: Prof. Hermann Schwengel Zweitgutachterin: Prof. Julia Flores Dávila Vorsitzender des Promotionsausschusses der Gemeinsamen Kommission der Philologischen, Philosophischen und Wirtschafts- und Verhaltenswissenschaftlichen Fakultät: Prof. Dr. Bernd Kortmann Datum der Fachprüfung im Promotionsfach: 07 Juli 2014 Social Exclusion and the Negotiation of Afro-Mexican Identity in the Costa Chica of Oaxaca, Mexico. Tristano Volpato Nr.3007198 [email protected] II I acknowledge Prof. Schwengel, for the opportunity to make concrete an important proyect for my professional life and individual psychological growing, since he was in constant cooperation with me and the work; Prof. Julia Flores Dávila, who accompanied me during the last six years, with her human and professional presence; my parents, who always trusted me; Gisela Schenk, who was nearby me in every occasion, professonal and daily. Finally I want to specially thank all those people of the Costa Chica who, during the process, allowed me to understand better their identity and offered a great example of Mexicanity and humanity. III IV Contents Prefacio ............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • VC Reduplication in Sayula Popoluca
    Grazer Linguistische Studien 71 (Frühjahr 2009), S. 59-77 VC Reduplication in Sayula Popoluca Richard A. Rhodes University of California, Berkeley Abstract. Sayula Popoluca, a Mixe-Zoquean language of southern Mexico, shows three types of reduplication, two which use full or only slightly modified copies of the root and one which copies only the final VC of a CVC root. The three types of reduplication are outlined. The synchronic pattern of VC reduplication is complicated by morphophonemics that renders the pattern opaque in many cases. As a result many of the tokens have not previously been recognized as examples of VC reduplication. The pattern of VC reduplication is fully explicated, inlcuding all its interactions with the morphophonemics of the language, including those that apply primarily only in reduplication, and those that apply optionally. This pattern of reduplication is more widespread in Sayula Popoluca than in any related language. The history of VC reduplication throughout the Mixe-Zoquean family is discussed including an examination of the evidence that VC reduplication spread independently in specific subbranches of both Zoquean and Mixean. A proposal is put forward that VC reduplication, which is never productive, spreads by analogy. Keywords. Sayula Popoluca, Mixe-Zoquean, reduplication, language history 1. Sayula Popoluca is a Mixe-Zoquean language of Mexico. The languages of the Mixe- Zoquean family fall into two branches which occupy a sizeable portion of southern Mexico around the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The Zoquean branch is found on the north side of the Isthmus on or near the Gulf of Mexico in the states of Veracruz and Tabasco and stretching southeastward into neighboring Chiapas.
    [Show full text]
  • The Geographical, Linguistic, and Cultural Position of the Popoluca of Veracruz
    UC Berkeley Anthropology Faculty Publications Title The Geographical, Linguistic, and Cultural Position of the Popoluca of Veracruz Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2xh4p80c Journal American Anthropologist, 45(4) Author Foster, George M. Publication Date 1943-12-01 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Ll THE GEOGRAPHICAL, LINGUISTIC, AND CULTURAL POSI- TION OF THE POPOLUCA OF VERACRUZ By GEORGE M. FOSTER F THE pre-Conquest Aztecs had not contemptuously referred to a number I of distinct alien groups as "Chontales" and "Popolocas" (Popoloco, Popo­ luca, Pupuluca, etc.), the work of later ethnologists would have been much simpler. Fifty years ago Brinton corrected the then common assumption that the various groups so designated were parts of one tribe which had been broken up by invading hordes and forced to flee in all directions.1 The Nahuatl words chontalli and popoloca are variously translated as "foreigner," "stranger," "barbarian," and "one who speaks an unintelligible tongue," and are common nouns, not tribal names. Brinton attempted to classify all of the groups so designated, and to a considerable extent was successful. One of the Popoloca groups that has proven most baffling is that known as the Popoluca of Veracruz, who speak languages related to Mixe-Zoque. Various scattered references to this group, or groups, for actually there are four dis­ tinct idioms spoken, have appeared from time to time, but in none has the relationship of the four groups been clearly defined. This paper, based on field work in 1940 and 1941, attempts to delimit as precisely as possible the geo­ graphical position of the Veracruz Popoluca, comments on earlier references to them, discusses probable linguistic relationships, and very briefly summa­ rizes the cultural status of the most numerous division.
    [Show full text]
  • The Grammaticalization and Reanalysis of a Paradigm of Auxiliaries in Texistepec Popoluca: a Case Study in Diachronic Adaptation
    Søren Wichmann The Grammaticalization and Reanalysis of a Paradigm of Auxiliaries in Texistepec Popoluca: A Case Study in Diachronic Adaptation Abstract A series of morphosyntactic changes relating to aspect-mode auxiliaries in the Texistepec Popoluca language will be analyzed under the hypothesis that the changes in question are motivated by three factors: phonological changes triggering new paradigmatic arrangements, areal convergence, and the tendency for creating structures that are in conformity with a certain over-all language type. As part of the overall diacbronic account it is explained how a segment Æ came to form part ofthe paradigm of person markers even though this segment originally belonged to a preverbal adverbial particle and had nothing to do with person marking. The diach¡onic data bring support to the theoretical notion of "diachronic adaptation" proposed by Haspelmath (lee9). SKYJournal ofLinguistics I6 (2003), 161-183 162 SønpN WIcHveN¡¡ 1. Introductionr In this paper a series of morphosyntactic changes in the Texistepec Popoluca language will analyzed under the hypothesis that there are three factors that motived these changes (and that may similarly motivate such changes in other languages as well). 1. One factor consists in changes of a purely phonological nature, for instance in this case, the loss of final vowels. Although such phonological changes are normally arbitrary with respect to the grammatical structure of a language, they may nevertheless end up motivating grammatical changes. 2. Another factor is areal convergence, involving the influence of neighboring languages. 3. Finally, a tendency similar to what has been called "drift" (Sapir 1921: 157-182) was in play, i.e.
    [Show full text]
  • Participation, Representation and Political Inclusion Is There an Indigenous Vote in Mexico?*
    Participation, Representation and Political Inclusion Is There an Indigenous Vote in Mexico?* Willibald Sonnleitner** ABSTRACT: Deficient political representation of indigenous peoples stands out as a pending issue of Mexico’s democratization, since they are among the most marginalized and discriminated sectors of one of the most diverse, multi-ethnic nations of Latin America. This contribution analyses the recent evolution and the persistent gap in indigenous legislative representation in Mexico. Then, the results of federal elections between 1991 and 2018 are scrutinized in order to identify patterns of voting behavior and trends in electoral turnout in indigenous polling stations, controlling by other socio-demographic variables. The conclusions highlight the inexistence of a specific indi- genous vote, the political diversity of indigenous territories and their implications for public po- licies aimed at expanding indigenous representation and political inclusion. KEYWORDS: affirmative action, indigenous voting, representation of ethnic groups, political inclu- sion of minorities. Participación, representación e inclusión política: ¿Existe un voto indígena en México? RESUMEN: Entre las asignaturas pendientes de la democracia mexicana, destaca el déficit en la inclu- sión política de las poblaciones indígenas, uno de los sectores más marginados y discriminados de una de las naciones pluriétnicas más diversas de Latinoamérica. Esta contribución analiza la evolu- ción reciente y el rezago persistente de la representación legislativa indígena en México. Luego se estudian los resultados de los comicios federales entre 1991 y 2018, para identificar las tendencias de la participación y las orientaciones del voto en las secciones electorales indígenas del país, controlando por otras variables sociodemográficas. Las conclusiones destacan la ausencia de un voto específico y la diversidad política de las regiones indígenas, e invitan a repensar las políticas públicas orientadas a ampliar la representación e inclusión política indígena.
    [Show full text]