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Pacific Linguistics is pleased to announce the publication of the
following new books:<br><br>
Kikusawa, Ritsuko, 2002. Proto Central Pacific ergativity: <br>
<i>Its reconstruction and development in the Fijian, Rotuman and
Polynesian languages.<br><br>
</i><font size=2>Please note that all prices are given in Australian
dollars. AU $1.00 = approx. US $0.57 (as at 21 June, 2002). Australian
prices include 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST). International sales are
exempt from GST. To order Pacific Linguistics books, email
thelma.sims@anu.edu.au or refer to PL's website:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.pacling.anu.edu.au/"
eudora="autourl">http://www.pacling.anu.edu.au</a><br><br>
<br>
</font><b>Proto Central Pacific ergativity: <br>
Its reconstruction and development in the Fijian, Rotuman and Polynesian
languages<br>
</b><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2>Kikusawa, Ritsuko<br>
PL 520<br>
</font><tt><x-tab> </x-tab>The
main objective of this study is to determine the actancy system
(ergativity or accusativity) of Proto Central Pacific, and to determine
how this system developed in its daughter languages, Fijian and Rotuman,
which are accusative, as well as in the Polynesian languages, some of
which are ergative. It is shown that an ergative system has to be
reconstructed for Proto Central Pacific, based on the presence of two
sets of clitic pronouns (Genitive and Nominative) used for the core
arguments of transitive constructions. A set of independent
pronouns is also reconstructed. These pronominal forms are shown to
be reflexes of Proto Malayo-Polynesian reconstructions. The process
by which the ergative parent language changed into some of its accusative
daughter languages is illustrated. <br>
</tt><font face="Times New Roman, Times"
size=2><x-tab> </x-tab>The
following points in this work may be of particular interest: 1) a
description of clear cases where the actancy systems change from ergative
to accusative; 2) an illustration of how syntactic, phonological,
morphological, and/or lexical changes are synthesised; 3)
typological descriptions of three Central Pacific languages, namely
Rotuman, Fijian, and Tongan, applying Lexicase Dependency Grammar;
5) a modification to the currently accepted subgrouping hypothesis for
the Central Pacific group. <br><br>
ISBN 0 85883 438 3 <x-tab> </x-tab>xxii +
213 pp.<br>
AUS $53.90 <x-tab> </x-tab>International
$49.00<br><br>
<br><br>
</font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Dr John Bowden<br>
Managing Editor<br>
Pacific Linguistics<br>
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies<br>
The Australian National University<br>
Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA<br>
Ph: +61 (0) 2 6125 3281<br>
Fax: +61 (0) 2 6125 4896</html>