[Lingtyp] Zero verb root in Papuan languages

[Larry M Hyman]

I had been holding back Haya, another Bantu language, where in this case *p
> h > Ø. The Proto-Bantu verb *pá 'give' is realized [ha], but the [h] can
be deleted, e.g. o-ku-há-a 'to give' can be realized o-kú-h-a or o-kú-a,
where o-ku- and -a are grammatical affixes (augment, class 15 noun class
prefix, final vowel inflectional suffix), here marking the infinitive.
However, we can still tell that there is a "ghost consonant" for two
reasons:

1) If the verb root were phonologically null, we would expect *ó-kw-a, with
gliding of /u/ before /a/.
2) There still is a High tone from the root (which is anticipated on [kú-]).
3) There is an alternation with [p] after a homorganic nasal: ḿ-pa 'give
me!'.

Thus I don't think Haya is quite there having a /Ø/ verb root... and wonder
if that's something it has in store for the future.
[image: image.png]

On Wed, Feb 28, 2024 at 1:58 AM Denis CREISSELS via Lingtyp <
lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org> wrote:

> Let me add a Bantu example. In Tswana, the root for ‘go’, otherwise /j/,
> also has a phonologically conditioned zero allomorph, as in /ʊ́-ílè/
> ‘s/he went’, where /ʊ́-/ is the subject index ‘3rd person, class 1’, and
> /-ílè/ is a TAM-polarity suffix (perfect positive).
>
> Denis
>
>
>
> *De :* Lingtyp [mailto:lingtyp-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org] *De la
> part de* Claire Bowern via Lingtyp
> *Envoyé :* mardi 27 février 2024 14:08
> *À :* Alexandre Arkhipov
> *Cc :* lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org
> *Objet :* Re: [Lingtyp] Zero verb root in Papuan languages
>
>
>
> The Bardi root for “give” is null. It’s historically from *wa but sound
> changes deleted both the consonant and the vowel. Inflected forms such as
> i-nga-na ‘3-pst-rem.past’ have no overt root.
>
> Claire
>
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 27, 2024 at 5:37 AM Alexandre Arkhipov via Lingtyp <
> lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org> wrote:
>
> Dear Joe,
>
> If you do not limit yourself to the Papuan languages, zero verb roots
> should be occasionally found in many languages, I guess (although I don't
> have many examples).
> E.g. the Russian verb *вынуть *"take out" is considered to have no root
> due to historical changes (вы- is a regular prefix "out(wards)", -ну is a
> regular suffix (semelfactive), and -ть is the infinitive suffix).
> Some forms of Basque auxiliaries should probably be analyzed as having no
> root, e.g. zen (Past 3SG of the intransitive auxiliary, where both z- and
> -en appear elsewhere as past markers).
>
> All best,
> Alexandre
>
> 27/02/2024 05:26, Pun Ho Lui via Lingtyp пишет:
>
> Dear All, and 哈佬 Hilario,
>
>
>
> Thank you for all the responses.
>
>
>
> To slightly summarize (which is already claimed by Comrie and Zamponi
> 2019), the zero verb root/allomorph can be found in Trans New Guinea (e.g.
> Horokoi by Wesley Kuhron Jones). Those verbs tend to be semantically light,
> e.g. ‘hit’, ‘come’, ‘give’ and ‘be’ (e.g. Menggwa Dla).
>
> It also seems like such phenomenon can be found in other languages, e.g.
> Yawuru (Nyulnyulan) and Bardi in Australia, and potentially Ket.
>
>
>
> Warmest,
>
> Joe
>
>
>
> Pun Ho Lui <luiph001 at gmail.com> <luiph001 at gmail.com> 於 2024年2月24日 下午2:06
> 寫道：
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Larry M. Hyman, Distinguished Professor of the Graduate School
& Director, France-Berkeley Fund, University of California, Berkeley
https://linguistics.berkeley.edu/~hyman
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