TAM-inflected nominals

[dnsbhat]

There is an interesting correlation between the marking of tense
distinction on nouns or pronouns (demonstraives) and that of
visible-invisible distinction.

Giridhar, P.P. (1994) describes the occurrence of three different
individuating suffixes hi 'visible', Ti 'nonvisible' and sü 'nonvisible
(vaguely remembered)' in Mao Naga, a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in
the state of Manipur, India. hi 'visible' also refers to present objects
that are temporally proximate and Ti 'nonvisible' to objects that are
temporally remote. When used with certain nouns and advrbs, the three
provide the temporal connotation even more clearly:
	
	hata-li-hi 	'in the current week'
	hata-li-Ti	'in the past week'
	hata-li-sü	'in the week to come'

	ovo koso-hi	'the curent work
	ovo koso-Ti	'the past/done work
	ovo koso-sü	'the work that is yet to be done'

	ni cümüi-hi	'your (present) wife'
	ni cümüi-Ti	'your past (former) wife'
	ni cümüi-sü	'your wife to be'

(see Giridhar P.P. 1994, Mao Naga Grammar. Mysore: Central Institute of
Indian Languages.

	A similar correlation has been referred to by Boas (1911), Handbook of
American Indian Languages) as occurring in Chinook: its demonstrative
pronouns take modal elements that express a distinction between
visibility and invisibility with the former being correlatable with
present and latter with past.

D.N.S.Bhat,
135, D-Block, 22nd Cross, 3A Main,
Vijayanagar III Stage,
Mysore 570 017, INDIA