Clauses as noun modifiers in Toba (Guaycuruan)

Abstract

In this paper we analyze relative clauses and noun complements in a corpus of narrative texts in Toba. Three different coding devices are identified, described and explained. One is specific to relative clauses and the other two introduce noun complements as well. The semantic condition on relative clauses, i.e. the co-reference between the head noun and the modifying clause, has been central to distinguish them from noun complements. Regarding relative clauses, we show that the syntactic function of the head noun within the relative clause is inferred by subtraction of the missing argument in the relative clause and does not condition the use of the different relativizers. It is the type of information encoded in the relative clauses that has proved to be relevant in the selection of the subordinators. Besides, we describe the synchronic polyfunctionality of the subordinators. Keywords: Relative clauses, noun complements, demonstratives, Toba