22.1916, Diss: Phonology/Syntax: Mckinnon: 'The Morphophonology and Morphosy...'

Tue May 3 14:02:45 UTC 2011

LINGUIST List: Vol-22-1916. Tue May 03 2011. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 22.1916, Diss: Phonology/Syntax: Mckinnon: 'The Morphophonology and Morphosy...'

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1)
Date: 03-May-2011
From: Timothy Mckinnon [timothy_mckinnon at eva.mpg.de]
Subject: Dissertation Abstract

-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Tue, 03 May 2011 10:01:13
From: Timothy Mckinnon [timothy_mckinnon at eva.mpg.de]
Subject: Dissertation Abstract

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Institution: University of Delaware 
Program: Department of Linguistics 
Dissertation Status: Completed 
Degree Date: 2011 

Author: Timothy A Mckinnon

Dissertation Title: The Morphophonology and Morphosyntax of Kerinci Word-Shape
Alternations 

Linguistic Field(s): Morphology
                     Phonology
                     Syntax

Subject Language(s): Kerinci (kvr)

Dissertation Director(s):
Peter Cole
Uri Tadmor
Jeffrey N. Heinz
Gabriella Hermon

Dissertation Abstract:

This dissertation examines the grammar of a dialect of Kerinci spoken 
in the village of Tanjung Pauh Mudik.  Kerinci is a Malayic language 
spoken primarily in the Kerinci Regency, in the mountainous western 
part of Jambi Province, Sumatra, Indonesia.

In many Kerinci dialects, lexical items exhibit two distinct forms which 
differ from one another in the phonological realization of their final 
syllable rime.  These two morphological forms developed historically 
from a phrasal-level phonological alternation, and have been referred 
to in the literature as the `absolute' (historically phrase-final) form and 
`oblique' (historically phrase-medial) form (Steinhauer and Usman 
(1978) inter alia).

The aim of this dissertation is to understand the grammatical factors 
which determine the phonological shape and syntactic distribution of 
absolute and oblique forms.  From a phonological perspective, I 
investigate whether the relationship between the phonological shape of 
absolute and oblique forms is predictable.  From a syntactic 
perspective, I attempt to determine whether the properties of the 
alternation within the nominal and verbal domain can be explained via 
the same grammatical mechanism.  In answering this question, I 
consider whether the choice between absolute and oblique is purely 
syntactic (i.e. structure dependent), or whether it involves a 
combination of syntactic and phonological factors (e.g. linear word 
order).

In the verbal domain, I argue that the O-form is an incipient marker of 
nominal agreement which functions to license null pronouns in certain 
contexts.  This proposal explains the observation that TPM appears to 
permit extraction of non-subject arguments, a fact which runs contrary 
to the robust typological generalization that languages with `Philippine-
type' voice systems do not permit extraction of non-subject arguments.  

Within the nominal domain, there is evidence to suggest that the 
alternation is conditioned by linear word order.  Despite this, I argue 
that the same underlying mechanism (nominal agreement) accounts for 
the alternation within both domains.  This unified analysis is possible on 
the assumption that both nominal and verbal domains exhibit 
Larsonian-type structures in which adjuncts are treated as 
complements.  Thus, I conclude that the alternation is determined by 
purely syntactic factors in both nominal and verbal domains. 

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