Bipartite structure

[Jess Tauber]

Interesting. Auxiliaries (including posturals sit, stand, lie) seem to be at
the core of the Yahgan loc/path suffix system- it would be of use to know
whether there is an implicational hierarchy of sorts detailing the relative
order of entraining of such elements into the system. Perhaps, then, these
items in Siouan are the beginnings of a refreshing of the system? I did get
some sense that instr and path terms were on separate (and competing?)
schedules in bipartite languages, in terms of openness and productivity of
the sets. Any info about Yuchi relevant here? I've been trying to remember
how things work in other families nearby- Tonkawa, for instance, various
"Gulf" outside Muskogean, etc. And Caddoan?

If I remember correctly, pretty much the entire SE of NAmerica is solidly
verb-final in syntax preference. One would then expect aux-right. So perhaps,
then, the growth of a suffixal path system is easiest in this type, even as
one sees the withering of the instr-left system. But then what's the deal
with Muskogean? Clearly the spatial-distributive system is on the wane, at
least the lexicalized portion of it. Maybe the regrammaticalization of the
system at the constructional level offsets this? That, at least, would make
some sense. I've been told that Guaykuruan in S.Am. has a quite well
developed path/loc suffix system, but no instr affixes- manner commonly
simply being left out of discourse.

Anyway, looks like I may have to keep an eye on the synthesis/analysis axis
at all times in this endeavor. I've been focussing so much on the zipping up
of structure at the lexical level I've probably too much ignored the extreme
analysis end of things. It would be nice to know whether there was a
manner/path alternation there too- assuming of course there is one at all in
the first place.

Jess Tauber
zylogy at aol.com