Encoding of source in verbs of perception

[Steffen Haurholm-Larsen]

Dear subscribers,

It has been observed that such concepts as SEE, HEAR, TOUCH, TASTE and 
SMELL are in some languages encoded together in just a couple of verbs 
while other languages have more (see Åke Viberg's "Verbs of Perception" 
in /Language Typology and Universals: An International Handbook 
/(2001)). Furthermore, there may be a distinction between 'experience' 
and 'source' and for the latter, the source may be included in a 
peripheral NP, e.g. 'my hands smell _of fish_'.
     But how common is it for the source NP to be lexically encoded in 
the verb? In Garifuna, an Arawak language spoken in Central America 
traditionally by a fishing people, there are two verbs for the emission 
of (bad) smell: /hingi/- 'stink' and /hase/- 'smell of fish'. Is it 
common for languages to encode culturally salient NP smell sources (or 
other source NPs) into verbs of perception?

Best,

Steffen Haurholm-Larsen
Universität Bern
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