grammaticalisation Locative > Progressive

[francois at vjf.cnrs.fr]

Vladimir and colleagues

The grammaticalisation pattern {\'to be in a place\' >
Progressive aspect} is indeed quite
common typologically.

Famous examples include:

1. MANDARIN CHINESE
verb Zài = \"be in a place\" [N.B. I\'ll leave aside the
tones]

    Xiao haizi zài
Beijing.    /little/child/be.in/Beijing/
    \"The little child is in Beijing.\"

= \"be doing s.th.\"

    Xiao haizi zài ku
ne.    /little/child/be.in/cry/Ptc/
    \"The little child is crying.\"

2. JAPANESE
verb /i-/ \"be in a place\"

    Otousan wa daidokoro ni i-mas-u.
    /dad/Topic/kitchen/Obl/be.in-Polit-Present/
    \"Dad is in the kitchen.\"

= \"be doing s.th.\"

    Otousan wa sinbun o yon-de i-mas-u.
    /dad/Topic/newspaper/Accus/read-Gerund/be.in-Polit-
Present/
    \"Dad is reading the newspaper.\"

3. SPANISH
  verb Esta-r \"be in a place\"

    Esta-ba en Nueva York.
    /be.in-Imperfect:1sg/in/New.York/
    \"I was in New York.\"

= \"be doing s.th.\"

    Esta-ba habla-ndo de ti.
    /be.in-Imperfect:1sg/talk-Gerund/Obl/2sg/
    \"I was talking about you.\"

For these languages, and many others, you will easily
find references (sorry I have
none at hand).

4. As for Austronesian languages, it is probable that
several of them have taken the
same grammaticisation path.

I can mention ARAKI, an Oceanic language from Vanuatu
(less than a dozen speakers,
South Espiritu Santo; personal data):
- the verb /roho ~ ro/ means \"stay, be in a place\" (<
POc *toka) :

    Ai mo roho lo koko-n viha hosun.
    /water/3sg:Real/be.in/Loc/hole-of/tree/that/
    \"There is (some) water in the hole of that tree.\"

But this same verb has grammaticised as an aspect
marker for Progressive aspect (in
VP-final position):

    Nida mo dogo leo-m ro.
    /they/3sg:Real/hear/voice-2sg/Progr/
    \"They were hearing your voice.\"

5. This association \"be in\"/ Progressive is also
typical of \"Neo-Melanesian\"
English-based Pidgins, i.e. TOK PISIN (Papua New
Guinea) and BISLAMA (Solomon +
Vanuatu).
Eng. /stop/ was provided with the meaning \"stay, be in
a place\"

    Ol pikinini i stap long taon.
    /Pl/child/Predic/be.in/Obl/taon/
    \"The kids are in town.\"

It can also mean \"be doing s.th.\" [in fact Progressive
+ Habituative]

    Ol pikinini i stap slip.
    /Pl/child/Predic/be.in/sleep/
    \"The kids are sleeping.\"

Cheers,

Alex

***********
Alexandre Francois
Lacito-CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sorbonne
22, Chemin de la Justice
92290 Chatenay-Malabry
        France