Comparative Grammar workshop

[REGINA PUSTET]

I would be most interested in pursuing TAM and topicalization (which, in
Assiniboine at least, involves both morphology and syntax), but any of the
suggested topics would be useful.

Linda, if you really want to do TAM I'll withdraw my suggestion to take care of that topic. One of the reasons why I wanted to do it was that there are, at least in Lakota, lots of badly underdescribed auxiliaries involved, but as your mention of syntax implies, this might be the same in Assiniboine.
Anyway, I think before choosing topics individually, we should create a consensus on the general range of topics to be covered. If, as Catherine said, one focus is to be on the basics of Siouan grammar, we'd have to do stuff like: 
(a) predicate structure, subdomains being, e.g. marking of core arguments on the predicate, marking of peripheral arguments on the predicate (especially datives/possessives, complex enough to be a chapter of it's own), TAM, valence change, etc.
(b) argument structure, subdomains being core case marking (if there is any), order of NPs in the clause, peripheral case marking (adpositions), possession, determiners (articles, demonstratives, etc.), topicality, etc.
(c) basic clauses: ordering rules, illocutive markers (question, statement, command etc.), verb serialization etc etc
(d) syntax: coordination, subordination, possibly attribution (relative clauses etc) in there but not for sure, coreferentiality issues etc
(e) lexicon: derivation (should instrumental prefixes count as derivation or should they be under valence?), compounding, parts of speech etc.
 
This is a very impressionistic list but maybe provides a stimulus for further comments and alternative suggestions.
 
Regina.


lcumberl at indiana.edu wrote:

I've been out of town for the past ten days and have just been catching up on
all the ideas surrounding the proposed workshop.

I agree with David and Regina about not piggy-backing a workshop and conference.
It's difficult to arrange to be away that long, and I believe one of the two
agenda would wind up dominating, to the detriment of the other. Regina's point
about the different styles is well-taken, too.

A long weekend beginning on a Thursday would fit my teaching schedule.

I would be sorry to see the project put off until next summer - we seem to have
momentum going now that we would do well to take advantage of. The workshop
would advance us toward the proposed publication, but I think it would be of
benefit to have time between the workshop and the conference to work on our
individual parts of the project based on the workshop discussions and then have
a single meeting in the context of the summer conference to give progress
reports and compare notes to be sure we are all headed in the same direction.
Also, the elicitation guide portion could be made available in some form in time
to be of immediate use for those doing summer research. 

I would be most interested in pursuing TAM and topicalization (which, in
Assiniboine at least, involves both morphology and syntax), but any of the
suggested topics would be useful.

BTW: I'm just finishing the post-defense revisions on the Assiniboine grammar
and will submit it to UMI in July. I don't know how long it takes them to have
it available, but I'm guessing late summer.

Linda

		
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