Severing idiosyncratic case from the lexical verb in Uyghur-Chinese code switching

Alexander Sugar,Zaoreguli Abulimiti

doi:10.3765/plsa.v4i1.4513

Alexander Sugar, Zaoreguli Abulimiti

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3765/plsa.v4i1.4513

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Abstract

This paper discusses case marking in mixed verbs in Uyghur-Chinese code switching, where a lexical verb from Mandarin Chinese is combined with a light verb from Uyghur. In mixed verbs containing a Chinese verb whose Uyghur translational equivalent idiosyncratically selects a dative object, the mixed verb also selects a dative object. We analyze this fact by proposing that dative arguments are introduced by an applicative head (Cuervo 2003) whose presence is required by a little head selecting for certain types of roots along the lines of Merchant (2018).

Highlights

Theories of morphological case generally distinguish between case marking that is the result of some structural configuration and case marking associated with particular verbs (Chomsky 1981, 1986, Marantz 1991, Woolford 2006 inter alia)
When the Chinese verb bao is used in a mixed verb, the object takes dative case as if the Uyghur translational equivalent were still used
We found in our corpus of 488 mixed verbs that for any Uyghur verb whose object takes dative case, if its Chinese translational equivalent can be used in a mixed verb, the object of the mixed verb takes dative case as well

Summary

Introduction

Theories of morphological case generally distinguish between case marking that is the result of some structural configuration and case marking associated with particular verbs (Chomsky 1981, 1986, Marantz 1991, Woolford 2006 inter alia). According to Woolford’s generalization, dative case realized on themes in Uyghur sentences like (2) must be assigned by the lexical verb itself. The light verb bol ‘to be(come)’ is used when the subject is non-agentive, as is the case in (21) In both (20) and (21), the verb was Chinese but the internal argument was Uyghur. When the Chinese verb bao is used in a mixed verb, the object takes dative case as if the Uyghur translational equivalent were still used.

Potential explanation

Towards an analysis

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Conclusion