Tense, Aspect, and Modal Markers in Paciran Javanese
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Tense, aspect, and modal markers in Paciran Javanese Jozina Vander Klok Department of Linguistics McGill Linguistics, Montréal Honours B.A., Études françaises, York University, 2006 September 2012 A THESIS SUBMITTED TO MCGILL UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY © Jozina Vander Klok 2012 ii Dedicated to my parents, Don Vander Klok and Gwendolyn Dekker, for their love and encouragement every step of the way. iii iv Tense, aspect, and modal markers in Paciran Javanese Jozina Vander Klok ABSTRACT This dissertation examines a number of syntactic and semantic aspects of the full set of TAM (tense-aspect-modal) markers in the dialect of Paciran Javanese (Western Malayo-Polynesian, Austronesian), spoken in East Java, Indonesia. First, I identify the inventory of TAM markers in Paciran Javanese and determine their grammatical category. Specifically, I show that there is a set of adverbs (koyoke, ketoke, jekene ‘direct.evidential’, watake, bonake ‘indirect.evidential’, mesthine ‘EPIST.should’, kudune ‘ought’, paleng ‘maybe’, mesthi ‘EPIST.must’) as well as a set of auxiliaries (kudu ‘DEONT.must’, lagek ‘PROG’, ape ‘FUT’, wes ‘PERF’, tau ‘EXP.PERF’, oleh ‘allow’, iso ‘can’). Furthermore, I establish that TAM markers individually observe a strict relative order in Paciran Javanese beyond the observation that TAM adverbs > TAM auxiliaries, maintaining the proposal for a universal hierarchy of TAM projections as in Cinque (1999). Investigating the order in Paciran Javanese provides insight in particular into the syntactic position of root modal projections, left open in Cinque (1999): the necessity root modal projection must be separated from the possibility projection by a low aspectual projection. Second, I focus on the syntax of the set of TAM auxiliaries in Paciran Javanese. I show that three different constructions of (i) VP-topicalization, (ii) subject-auxiliary answers to yes-no questions, and (ii) auxiliary fronting in yes-no questions all partition the set of TAM auxiliaries into the same two groups. As well, I present the unique properties of each of these syntactic constructions in Paciran Javanese. In my analysis of each construction within the Minimalist framework (Chomsky 1995), I propose that an intermediate complementizer-like projection serving as a phase edge above vP mediates the partition of two sets of TAM auxiliaries in all three constructions despite their different properties. Third, I establish the lexical specification of the modal system in Paciran Javanese based on results from a variety of fieldwork methods such as a modal questionnaire that I designed, storyboards (totemfieldstoryboards.org), elicitation and interviews. I find that many modals such as oleh ‘allow’, iso ‘can’, mesthi ‘EPIST.must’ in Paciran Javanese lexically specify for both the modal force (possibility vs. necessity) and the type of modality (e.g. epistemic, based on the available evidence; deontic, based on a body of rules and regulations; etc.). I show that other modals only lexically specify for the modal force, but not for the type of modality: for instance, kudu can only have necessity force, but allows for all root modal interpretations. v Marqueurs de temps, aspect et modalité en javanais de Paciran Jozina Vander Klok RÉSUMÉ Cette dissertation examine plusieurs aspects syntaxiques et sémantiques d’un groupe de marqueurs de TAM (temps–aspect–modalité) du dialecte javanais de Paciran (Malayo-polynésien occidental, Austronésien), parlé à l’est de Java, Indonésie. Premièrement, j’identifie l’inventaire des mots TAM en javanais du Paciran et je détermine leur catégorie grammaticale. Spécifiquement, je démontre qu’il y a un groupe d'adverbes (koyoke, ketoke, jekene ‘DIR.connu’, watake, bonake ‘INDIR.connu’, mesthine ‘EPIST.devrait’, kudune ‘DEONT.devrait’, paleng ‘peut-être’, mesthi ‘EPIST.doit’) ainsi qu’un groupe d'auxiliaires (kudu ‘DEONT.doit’, lagek ‘PROG’, ape ‘FUT’, wes ‘PARF’, tau ‘EXP.PARF’, oleh ‘permet’, iso ‘CIRC.peut’). De plus, j’établie que chacun des marqueurs TAM observe un ordre relatif strict en javanais du Paciran au delà de l'observation que les adverbes > auxiliaires TAM, en conformité avec la proposition de Cinque (1999) pour une hiérarchie universelle des projections fonctionnelles TAM. L’investigation sur l’ordre des mots TAM en javanais du Paciran avance la recherche en particulier sur la position syntaxique des projections modales de racine, que Cinque (1999) n’a pas abordée: la projection de la modalité universelle de racine doit être séparée de la projection de la modalité existentielle de racine par une projection d’aspect. Deuxièmement, je me concentre sur la syntaxe des marqueurs TAM auxiliaires du javanais du Paciran. Je montre que trois constructions différents, (i) la topicalization du syntagme VP, (ii) des réponses sujet–auxiliaire aux questions polaires et (iii) le mouvement de l’auxiliaire des questions polaires, séparent les marqueurs TAM auxiliaires en les mêmes deux groupes. De plus, je présente les propriétés uniques de chaque construction syntaxique ci-dessus du javanais du Paciran. Dans mon analyse formelle de chaque construction dans le programme Minimaliste de Chomsky (1995), je propose qu’une projection ‘complémenteur’ intermédiaire qui sert de limite de phase agit comme médiateur entre les deux groupes des marqueurs TAM auxiliaires dans les trois constructions malgré leurs propriétés différentes. Troisièmement, en ce qui concerne l’aspect sémantique, j’établis le système de modalité du javanais du Paciran, basé sur une variété de méthodes de travail sur le terrain qui comprennent un sondage sur la modalité que j’ai créé, des storyboards (totemfieldstoryboards.org), des élicitations et des entrevues. Je trouve que plusieurs modaux dont oleh ‘permet’, iso ‘CIRC.peut’ et mesthi EPIST.doit’ font partie en javanais du Paciran spécifient lexicalement la force de modalité (universelle vs. existentielle) ainsi que le type de modalité (épistémique, qui est compatible avec les données disponibles, déontique, qui est compatible avec un ensemble des règles, etc.). Je montre que d’autres modaux spécifient seulement la force et non le type de modalité : par exemple, kudu peut avoir seulement la force universelle, mais il permet tous les interprétations modales de racine. vi Acknowledgements I have been blessed these past six years at McGill University in Montreal and abroad in Indonesia in so many ways. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many wonderful people that have helped and encouraged me in this journey. First of all, I would like to thank my Javanese language consultants for sharing their language and culture with me. I wish to thank Lathiful Khuluq, my first language consultant on Javanese here in Montreal. It was his willingness in fulfilling my wonder, laughter in correcting my mistakes, and patience in answering my questions that founded me in a lifetime of work. Matur suwon ingkang kathah to Lathif for introducing me to the Indonesian community in Montreal and to other language consultants here: Al Makin and Bambang Setiyoso. To Pak Al, thank you for your persistence in making sure I understood. To Pak Bambang, matur suwon for sharing your love of gamelan and thinking of all kinds of contexts for me. Thank you also for always thinking of me and introducing me to your friends in Indonesia. I wish to especially thank my language consultants in Paciran. Thank you again to Lathif for introducing me to his family in his hometown – he has opened so many doors in my life. To Titis, my primary consultant and research assistant in Paciran, matur nuwon sing akeh for always being ready to answer my questions and sit down and pour over an elicitation. Thank you for spending hours and hours transcribing recorded speech and also for spearheading a number of the questionnaire sessions. To Fina, thank you for sharing in and contributing to a number of elicitation sessions – I can still hear us all laughing. To Nunung, another main consultant, thank you for your patience and your detailed explanations. Thank you also for introducing me to interviewees and guiding me in many interview sessions. To Rohmah, matur nuwon for your sharp wit and helpfulness. I wish to thank many teachers and staff members of Mazero’atul Ulum high school who also endured my many language queries: mbak Haris, Mas Nasrul, Mas Faiz, Pak Farihi, Pak Khoim, Pak Khoiq. Those round tables were so much fun. I also want to thank mbak Nadhifa, Pak Arif, Pak Jun and Pak Sari for introducing me to participants in order to conduct interviews and questionnaires. Finally, matur nuwon to all the participants of the storyboards, interviews, and questionnaires. I learned an unbelievable amount during my time in Paciran through all of you. I owe my deepest thanks to my dissertation committee: Lisa Travis, Luis Alonso- Ovalle, Maire Noonan and Ana Arregui. I am very blessed to have such a balanced committee in terms of their academic expertise as well as their advising style. I want to thank Lisa Travis from the bottom of my heart for her guidance and support throughout all of my six years at McGill University. It was through a lively Field Methods course led by Lisa as well as Glyne Piggott that led me to conducting research on Javanese. Her enthusiasm of the data and in tackling theoretical issues is contagious. Lisa manages to juggle the impossible: always paying attention to minute details but also keeping in mind the big picture, and I aspire to do the same. I thank Lisa especially for her support during my fieldwork experience in Indonesia; it meant a lot to know that I was able to share my experiences with her. Without her expertise and guidance, I would not have evolved to be the linguist I am today. Thank you to Luis Alonso-Ovalle for being an amazing teacher; his door is always open for new questions or repeating answers to the old ones. He has essentially vii launched me into the intricacies of modal semantics and my chapters on semantics would not be at the level where they are now without his expertise and help.