zero-marked verbs

[Mikael Parkvall]

Regarding Janet Wilsons posting on Kuche:

What about mood? Are any modal categories by any chance (semi-)obligatory?

I recall from reading grammars on Nigerian languages once upon a time that
some of them seemed to be more keen on grammaticalising such distinctions
than those relating to tense or aspect.

Also, although there may certainly be quite a few more out there, I know of
only one language (Mai Brat of western New Guinea) which lack obligatory or
otherwise highly grammaticalised marking in all three domains (T, M and A).
It would be interesting to learn more about such langauges and how
(un)common such a state of affairs may be.


Mikael Parkvall
Institutionen för lingvistik
Stockholms Universitet
SE-10691 STOCKHOLM
(rum 276)

+46 (0)8 16 14 41, +46 (0)8 656 68 24 (hem)
Fax: +46 (0)8 15 53 89

parkvall at ling.su.se