Siouan 'not be', 'lack', 'be/have none'

R. Rankin rankin at ku.edu
Fri Oct 4 14:59:04 UTC 2002


> > Someone has already said "double stative."

I think that's what most Siouanists have been using --
or maybe that's just my impression because that's what
I used in that Siouan Conference paper.  Since I'm
doing something similar for SSILA in Jan., I'm enjoying
the discussion and will find it helpful in my current
revision.

> That works for some sorts of examples in Dakotan, but
doesn't seem
> applicable to OP dhiNge (Da niNc^a) at all.  It's
more like stative +
> nonconcordial third person.

A number of languages have these 'not to be', 'to
be/have nothing', 'to lack', etc. verbs, but Siouan
nica, ninge, etc. are especially good examples; the
only way they could be better is if there were 3rd sg.
pronominals.  I think some of the problem lies in our
translations of this verb.  The translation governs
whether you get an English "nominative", "accusative"
or "dative" subject pronoun -- all 3 may be possible.
I wish I knew how real speakers of Siouan languages
"think about" this verb -- but, then, I guess it's the
linguist's job to figure that out, isn't it?

Bob



More information about the Siouan mailing list