Definiteness, Information Structure, and Indirect Modification in the Kunbarlang Noun Phrase

Ivan Kapitonov

doi:10.3390/languages6030111

Abstract

Kunbarlang shows considerable variation in the word order patterns of nominal expressions. This paper investigates these patterns, concentrating on the distribution of noun markers (articles) and on attributive modification. Based on examination of spontaneous discourse and elicitation, I identify two main contributions of the noun marker: definiteness and predicative reading of modifiers. Furthermore, the order of adjectives with respect to the head noun is shown to correlate with information-structural effects. Taken together, these facts strongly support a hierarchical structure analysis of the NP in Kunbarlang. In the second part of the paper, Kunbarlang data are compared to the typology of determiner spreading phenomena. Finally, I entertain the prospects of a more formal analysis of the data presented and indicate their theoretical and typological relevance, including expression of information structure below the clausal level, typology of adnominal elements, and architecture of attributive modification.

Highlights

This paper deals with some aspects of nominal expressions in Kunbarlang, a polysynthetic Gunwinyguan language of northern Australia
Returning to our permutations, when the noun marker immediately precedes the noun, we find the definite reading of the noun phrases (NPs)
Information structure is traditionally thought of as a phenomenon at the clausal level (Lambrecht 1994), but recently several proposals emerged suggesting that IS is operational at the determiner phrases (DPs) level

Summary

Introduction

This paper deals with some aspects of nominal expressions in Kunbarlang, a polysynthetic Gunwinyguan language of northern Australia. Kunbarlang is currently spoken by fewer than 40 speakers in the age range of 30 to 70 years old, residing primarily in Warruwi (South Goulburn Island) and Maningrida. The semantic characteristics of nominal expressions that I discuss here (e.g., familiarity, novelty, and restrictive readings) critically rely on the context in which those nominal expressions occur. I confine my attention to the tokens that occur in narrations and dialogues; elicited examples are pointed out on the rare occasion when they are cited. Elicitation data would be useful for negative evidence, but at the present stage, such negative data are scarce

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Conclusion