Abstract
In Tłı̨chǫ Yatıì (Dene, aka Athapaskan), copulas appear obligatorily with adjectives predicated of animate subjects, but are barred from appearing with adjectives predicated of inanimates. I propose that this asymmetry arises from a requirement to realize grammatical agreement for person, and that animate nouns alone bear a person feature. Unlike verbs, adjectives in this language cannot inflect; hence copulas are inserted in adjectival predicates as a rescue strategy to avoid ungrammaticality.
Highlights
This article examines an asymmetry in the behaviour of predicative adjectives in Tłıchǫ Yatıı, a Dene (Athapaskan) language of the Northwest Territories, Canada
Copulas are obligatory with adjectives predicated of animate subjects and barred with those predicated of inanimate subjects:1 (1) Copulas and adjectives a
I argue that animate subjects bear a formal person feature that inanimates lack, and that the copula that appears with adjectival predicates realizes these features inflectionally, a requirement of the grammatical system that I formalize as a constraint
Summary
This article examines an asymmetry in the behaviour of predicative adjectives in Tłıchǫ Yatıı ( known as Dogrib), a Dene (Athapaskan) language of the Northwest Territories, Canada. As in other Dene languages, the majority of property predicates are expressed with stative verbs, there is a small class of adjectives that have distinct properties. The occurrence of copulas with predicative adjectives may appear to be optional, I argue that this is not the case. I argue that animate subjects bear a formal person feature that inanimates lack, and that the copula that appears with adjectival predicates realizes these features inflectionally, a requirement of the grammatical system that I formalize as a constraint. This realization is otherwise impossible to fulfill due to adjectives’ lack of inflection.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
