[Lexicog] Amele article uploads

John Roberts dr_john_roberts at SIL.ORG
Wed Jan 28 20:53:54 UTC 2004


>From John Roberts:

At the suggestion of the list moderator I have uploaded to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/ under Files a couple of published articles describing different aspects of word formation in Amele (Papuan). 

The article "A government and binding analysis of the verb in Amele" shows how a verb stem in Amele can range from being a single segment, as in _q-oc_ 'to hit' (where -oc is the infinitive marker), to multiply complex constructions, such as _quteceb quteceb ec_ 'to hit each other (lit. he.hit.him.DS he.hit.him.DS INF)'. In Amele the syntax functions inside words, which poses a difficulty for some formal theories - and has consequences for the lexicology of the language. (Incidentally, I no longer subscribe to GB theory.)

The article "Reduplication in Amele" describes the many and various forms of reduplication in the language and its inflectional and derivational functions. In Amele you can reduplicate just about anything in all ways imaginable, including mirror-image reduplication. This abundance of reduplication poses questions as to how much of it needs to be recorded in a dictionary of the language.

Enjoy!

John Roberts
SIL
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