[Lingtyp] Zero verb root in Papuan languages

[Cat Butz]

Hi Pun Ho,

neither Papuan nor very concrete, but I remember seeing some data of Ket 
(Yeniseian, Siberia) years ago where the verb root phonologically 
disappears in some morpho(phono)logical contexts. Maybe someone else can 
provide more concrete data (or refute my claim in case I'm 
misremembering). Hope this helps a little bit in any case.

Best,
---
Cat Butz (she)
HHU Düsseldorf
General Linguistics


Am 24/02/2024 07:06, schrieb Pun Ho Lui:
> Dear All,
> 
> Recently I am interested in the “zero verb root” in Papuan
> languages, that is, the meaning of the verb(s) are indicated by a root
> that has no phonological expression (Comrie and Zamponi 2019), as in
> (1).
> 
> (1) Selepet (McElhanon 1973)
> Ø-nek-sap
> see-1sGO-3SGS.IMMPST
> 'He saw me’
> 
> The Papuan languages (potentially) with zero verb root I have
> collected so far are: Abau, Abun, Coastal Marine, Edolo, Kalamang,
> Main, Nimboran, Amele, Yeri, Yima, Whitehead, Awe,Siroi, Gahuku,
> Bukiyip, Anêm, Kâte and Selepe.
> 
> I am wondering do you know of other Papuan languages with this
> feature.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Warmest,
> Pun Ho Lui Joe
> 
> References:
> 
> Bernard Comrie and Raoul Zamponi. 2019. Verb Root Ellipsis. In Matthew
> Baerman, Oliver Bond, Andrew Hippisley (eds.): Morphological
> perspectives: Papers in honour of Greville G. Corbett, 233–280.
> Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
> 
> McElhanon, Kenneth A. 1972. Selepet Grammar. Part 1: From Root to
> Phrase. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
> _______________________________________________
> Lingtyp mailing list
> Lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org
> https://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/lingtyp