[Lingtyp] quotative index observations for Erzya meŕems and its extensive usage

[Jack Rueter]

Hi Denys,

Not being versed in quotative index, my observation is based information
derived from Tom Güldemann's review 2008 (
https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00655722/file/GA_LDEMANN_2008_QUOTATIVES_Review_IDIATOV_REVISED.pdf
).

On page 3, example (5) has some very pertinent connotations for the Erzya
verb meŕems.
(i) the  verb is readily recognized as a generic, but it is also used in
constructions for marking similarity and manner (iii).
This in addtion to your:
(1) Mon meŕiń, ton Saransat [no palatalized ǵ ]
>> > 1sg say.pst.1sg 2sg Saransk.ine.prs.2sg
>> > ‘I thought (lit. I said), you are in Saransk’ (Aasmäe 2012: 66).

The verb "meŕems" is used with special word forms derived from color
(verbs/words) and sound (verbs/descriptive adverbs) to indicate similarity:

panaroś                      seńšt́    meŕi
shirt_N.Sg.Nom.Def   bluish   say_V.Prs.3Sg
'the shirt is bluish'

The verb "meŕems" 'say' may also be replaced for ~ same meaning with the
verbs "moĺems" 'go' and "t́ejems" 'do' (ii).

kijaksoś                     čikork              meŕś
floor_N.Sg.Nom.Def  creak[sound]  say_V.Prt1.3Sg

kijaksoś                     čikork              t́ejś
floor_N.Sg.Nom.Def  creak[sound]  do_V.Prt1.3Sg

kijaksoś                     čikork              moĺś
floor_N.Sg.Nom.Def  creak[sound]  go_V.Prt1.3Sg
'the floor went creak/the floor made a creaking sound'

My intent here is to merely point out that the verb "meŕems" not only
functions as a quotative index for "living beings" but as a part of a
similarity construction.

Yours,

Jack

>>
>> > Dear colleagues (especially those working with quotative markers and
>> > reported speech),
>> >
>> > in Erzya (Mordvinic, Uralic), the verb merģems with the primary meaning
>> > ‘say’ is also used to quote thoughts:
>> >
>> > (1) Mon merģinģ, ton Saransat.
>> > 1sg say.pst.1sg 2sg Saransk.ine.prs.2sg
>> > ‘I thought (lit. I said), you are in Saransk’ (Aasmäe 2012: 66).
>> >
>> > However, out of context, the QI-clause Mon merģinģ would likely be
>> > interpreted as ‘I said’ and instead of quotation of thoughts one will
>> get
>> > the quotation of speech. It is, of course, not a unique thing that one
>> > quotative index (clause) can be used to mark different types of
reported
>> > discourse. I am wondering whether there is cross-linguistic evidence,
>> > pointing that the reading ‘I/you/X said’ is prior to the reading
>> ‘I/you/X
>> > thought’ in such cases? For instance, notorious I was like to be
>> > interpreted out of context as 'I said' rather than 'I thought'? Or that
>> > speech verbs are frequently used to mark mental processes, but not vice
>> > versa? Is there any hierarchy in the reading of quotations? Are there
>> any
>> > studies that would show that one would be prior to another? Is it even
>> > reasonable to expect to find something like this? Any suggestions,
>> hints,
>> > (language-specific) examples are more than welcome!
>> >
>> > Cheers!
>> >
>> > Have a nice evening!
>> >
>> > Best wishes from Tartu,
>> > Denys Teptiuk_______________________________________________
>> > Lingtyp mailing list
>> > Lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org
>> > http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/lingtyp
>> >
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Lingtyp mailing list
>> Lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org
>> http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/lingtyp
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lingtyp mailing list
> Lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org
> http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/lingtyp
>
>


--
Reginald Akuoko Duah (PhD)
------
Lecturer, Department of Linguistics
Coordinator, School of Languages Seminar Series
Fellow, ACLS-AHP (F12, F17)
College of Humanities
University of Ghana, Legon
Email: raduah at ug.edu.gh
Tel: +233-270-674-848
webpage: http://www.reggieduah.ga/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lingtyp/
attachments/20180109/af19928e/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Kambon & Duah_ Non-African Linguists Be Like “This is a New Way to
Quote!”.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 1215444 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lingtyp/
attachments/20180109/af19928e/attachment.pdf>

------------------------------

Subject: Digest Footer

_______________________________________________
Lingtyp mailing list
Lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org
http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/lingtyp


------------------------------

End of Lingtyp Digest, Vol 40, Issue 10
***************************************
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lingtyp/attachments/20180110/17aef2a8/attachment.htm>