MIRATIVITY QUESTION

[Michael Noonan]

There are several ways to express mirativity in Chantyal [Tibeto-Burman:
Bodish:Tamangic].  A nominalized verb used as a main verb has a mirative
sense; this seems to be true for other Tibeto-Burman languages also.  I
discuss this briefly in one published article:  'Versatile
Nominalizations' in the Givon Festschrift [Bybee, Haiman & Thompson:
Essays on Language function and Language Type].  The sense can also be
communicated by verbal particles:  one, la, is homophonous with the
perfective interrogative verbal affix and has a purely mirative sense.
Another such particle is s@~ [nasalized schwa], which carries the
additional sense of disappointment or frustration.  All of this is
detailed at some length in my forthcoming grammar of Chantyal and in my
Chantyal dictionary, which should be out this year [published by Mouton de
Gruyter].

Michael Noonan                  Office:   414-229-4539
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