PACIFIC LINGUISTICS Series C-131 FURTHER ASPECTS OF THE GRAMMAR OF YANYUW A, NORTHERN AUSTRALIA Jean Kirton and Bella Charlie Department of Linguistics Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Kirton, J. and Charlie, B. Further aspects of the grammar of Yanyuwa, northern Australia. C-131, xiv + 216 pages. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1996. DOI:10.15144/PL-C131.cover ©1996 Pacific Linguistics and/or the author(s). Online edition licensed 2015 CC BY-SA 4.0, with permission of PL. A sealang.net/CRCL initiative. Pacific Linguistics specialises in publishing linguistic material relating to languages of East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Linguistic and anthropological manuscripts related to other areas, and to general theoretical issues, are also considered on a case by case basis. Manuscripts are published in one of four series: SERIES A: Occasional Papers SERIES C: Books SERIES B: Monographs SERIES D: Special Publications FOUNDINGEDITOR: S.A. Wurm EDITORIAL BOARD: T.E. Dutton (Managing Editor), A.K. Pawley, M.D. Ross, D.T. Tryon EDITORIAL ADVISERS: B.W. Bender K.A. McElhanon University of Hawaii Summer Institute of Linguistics David Bradley H.P. McKaughan LaTrobe University University of Hawaii Michael G. Clyne P. Miihlhausler Monash University University of Adelaide S.H. Elbert G.N. O'Grady University of Hawaii University of Victoria, B.C. K.J. Franklin K.L. Pike Summer Institute of Linguistics Summer Institute of Linguistics W.W. Glover E.C. Polome Summer Institute of Linguistics University of Texas G.W. Grace Gillian Sankoff University of Hawaii University of Pennsylvania M.A.K. Halliday W.A.L. Stokhof University of Sydney University of Leiden E. Haugen B.K. Tsou Harvard University City Polytechnic of Hong Kong A. Healey E.M. Uhlenbeck Summer Institute of Linguistics University of Leiden L.A. Hercus J.W.M. Verhaar Australian National University University of Leiden John Lynch c.L. Voorhoeve University of the South Pacific University of Leiden The editors are indebted to the Australian National University for assistance in the production of this series. All correspondence concerning Pacific Linguistics, including orders and subscriptions, should be addressed to: PACIFIC LINGUISTICS Departmentof Linguistics Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 Australia Copyright © The author First published 1996 Copyedited by Basil Wilson Typeset by Jeanette Coombes Proofread by Pam Rosser Map drawn by Theo Baumann Printed by Goanna Print Pty Ltd Bound by F & M Perfect Bookbinding This publication was made possible by an initial grant from the Hunter Douglas Fund. No royalties are paid on this or any other PacificLinguistics publication. ISSN 0078-7558 ISBN 0 85883 433 2 This volume contains a photograph of the Yanyuwa co-author, who died in July 1993 TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE x ABBREVIAnONS xii �: YANYUWA LANGUAGE AREA xiii PHOTOS xiv CHAPTER 1: THE LANGUAGE AND ITS SPEAKERS 1. 1 Overview 1 1.2 Linguistic type 1 1.3 An overview of Yanyuwa phonology 2 1.4 An overview of Yanyuwa grarrunar 2 1.4. 1 Men's and women's dialects 2 1.4.2 Nouns 3 1.4.3 Verbs 4 1.5 Yanyuwa language materials 5 CHAPTER 2: THE DEMONSTRATIVE SYSTEM 6 2. 1 Overview 6 2.2 Demonstrative stem morphology 6 2.3 Notes on inflection of demonstratives 9 2.4 Notes on the possible use of the demonstrative pronoun stems in noun derivation 9 CHAPTER 3: CASE 10 3. 1 Overview 10 3.2 Case markers 10 3.3 Basic clause types 11 3.4 The semantic interrelating of case and clause functions 11 3.4. 1 Nominative semantic roles 12 3.4.2 Dative semantic roles 16 3.4.3 Ergative-allative semantic roles 19 3.4.4 Ablative semantic roles 20 3.5 Conclusion 22 v "--------------- -- vi CHAPTER 4: QUESTIONS AND INTERROGATIVE WORDS 23 4. 1 Overview 23 4.2 Questions marked by intonation 23 4.3 Questions marked by interrogative words 25 4.3. 1 Questions asking for a noun-related reply 25 4.3. 1.1 ngani 'who?' and ngalhi 'what?' questions 25 4.3. 1.2 nganthangu 'which?' and ngandarrangu 'how many?' questions 27 4.3.2 Questions asking for a location-related reply 28 4.3.2. 1 Locality questions 28 4.3.2.2 Location-in-time questions 29 4.3.2.3 Location-of-entity questions 30 4.3.3 Questions about state-of-being, action and relationship 31 4.3.3. 1 wayi 'how?' and state-of-being questions 31 4.3.3.2 ngandarra 'what way?' questions of action and relationship 31 4.3.3.3 barrangandarra 'like what?' questions 32 4.3.4 Questions for verification 32 4.4 Self-questioning 33 4.5 Use of interrogatives in reply 34 CHAPTER 5: PERSON PRONOUNS INLIGHT OF DISCOURSE CONSIDERATIONS 35 5. 1 Overview 35 5.2 Contrasting functions of bound and free pronouns 36 5.3 Free pronouns as the subject of stative clauses 37 5.4 Free pronouns in phrases to distinguish or link participants 37 5.5 Focus-marking function of free pronouns 38 5.6 Conclusion 45 CHAPTER 6: LOCATION AND THE FUNCTIONS OF LOCATIVES 46 6. 1 Overview 46 6.2 Definite and indefinite location 46 6.3 Adverbs which signal location 46 6.3. 1 Demonstrative locatives 47 6.3. 1. 1 Locative case suffix set 47 6.3. 1.2 Pronominal suffix set 48 6.3.1.3 Other suffixation 49 6.3.2 Cardinal locatives 49 6.3.2. 1 Defuilng location 50 6.3.2. 1. 1 Indefinite location 50 6.3.2. 1.2 Defmite location 51 6.3.2.2 Defuilng direction 51 6.3.2.2. 1 Direction from 52 vii 6.3.2.2.2 Direction towards 52 6.3.2.2.3 Direction in 52 6.3.2.2.4 Relative direction 53 6.3.2.3 Summary of primary cardinal locative functions 54 6.3.3 General locatives 55 6.3.4 Other functions of locative stems 56 6.3.4. 1 Derived nouns 56 6.3.4.2 Derived verbs 57 6.3.4.3 Other derivation 57 6.4 Nouns and noun phrases which signal location 58 6.4. 1 Placename nouns 58 6.4.2 Location case marking on nouns and noun phrases 58 6.4.3 Locative prepositional phrases 59 6.4.4 Locative function of reduplicated noun stems 60 6.5 Anthropological notes on location 60 CHAPTER 7: THE VERB SUFFIXES -nhu AND -njim u 62 CHAPTER 8: CLAUSES 64 8.1 Overview 64 8.2 Independent indicative clauses 66 8.2. 1 Stative clauses 67 8.2. 1. 1 Simple stative clause subtype 67 8.2. 1.2 Locative-complex stative clause subtype 72 8.2. 1.3 The stative clause predicate constituent 76 8.2.1.4 Existential stative clause subtype 77 8.2.1.5 Full stative clause subtype 82 8.2.2 Action clauses 83 8.2.2. 1 The clause nucleus 84 8.2.2. 1. 1 Subject and object constituents 84 8.2.2. 1. 2 The predicate consituent 85 8.2.2.2 Intransitive clauses 91 8.2.2.2. 1 Simple intransitive clauses 92 8.2.2.2.2 Goal intransitive clauses 96 8.2.2.2.3 Location intransitive clauses 100 8.2.2.2.4 Destination intransitive clauses 103 8.2.2.3 Transitive clauses 106 8.2.2.3.1 Simple transitive clauses 106 8.2.2.3.2 Goal transitive (or di-transitive) clauses 110 8.2.2.3.3 Location transitive clauses 113 8.2.2.3.4 Destination transitive clauses 115 8.2.2.4 Significant transitive use of semitransitive verbs 12 1 viii 8.2.2.5 Reflexive clauses 123 8.2.3 Indicative clause outer periphery 125 8.2.3.1 Time 126 8.2.3.2 �ation 128 8.2.3.3 i\ccoll1parrirnent 129 8.2.3.4 Instrull1ent (or ll1eans) 130 8.2.3.5 Pertinent 13 1 8.2.4 The purpose constituent 132 8.2.5 Negation of indicative clauses 135 8.2.5. 1 Negative stative clauses 136 8.2.5. 1. 1 Negative sinnple stative clause subtype 136 8.2.5. 1.2 Negative locative-complex clause subtype 138 8.2.5. 1.3 Negative existential stative clause subtype 138 8.2.5.2 Negative action clauses 139 8.3 hnperative clauses 143 8.3. 1 Verbless innperative clauses 143 8.3.2 Verb-centred innperative clauses 145 8.3.2. 1 The ill1perative clause nucleus 146 8.3.2.2 Existential imperative clauses 148 8.3.2.3 Intransitive imperative clauses 148 8.3.2.4 Transitive innperative clauses 15 1 8.3.2.5 Semitransitive ill1perative clauses 154 8.3.2.6 Reflexive ill1perative clauses 155 8.3.3 Negation of imperative clauses 156 8.3.3.1 Negation of verbless imperative clauses 156 8.3.3.2 Negation of verb-centred imperative clauses 157 8.3.3.3 Negative-positive innperative statements 160 8.4 Quote formula clauses 161 8.4. 1 Existential quote formula clauses 162 8.4.2 Intransitive quote formula clauses 163 8.4.3 Transitive quote formula clauses 163 8.4.4 Sennitransitive quote formula clauses 164 8.4.5 Reflexivequote formula clauses 165 8.4.6 Special stylistic usage 165 8.5 Participial clauses 166 8.5. 1 Participial clause construction 167 8.5. 1. 1 Clause nucleus 167 8.5 .1. 1. 1 The predicate 167 8.5. 1. 1.2 The object 169 8.5.1.