New Research in Linguistics and English Language
From aspect/mood marker to discourse particle: Reconstructing syntactic and semantic change
Abstract:
This paper examines the reanalysis of an aspect/mood marker as a discourse connective particle from the perspectives of both syntactic and semantic change. Evidence of the change is found in the system of subject marking in Marovo, an Oceanic language of the Solomon Islands. Marovo has preverbal markers which indicate the person and number of the subject agreement and occur primarily in only two types of constructions: negative verbal declarative clauses and verbal clauses with an initial discourse connective particle. These unusual conditions on the presence of subject marking in Marovo are shown to reflect its historical development. Through comparison of Marovo with other closely related Oceanic languages, it is demonstrated that subject marking in negative clauses is archaic, reflecting original constructions in which subject markers occurred within the verb complex alongside preverbal markers of aspect/mood and negation. The use of subject markers with discourse connective particles reflects the reanalysis of an original aspect/mood marker as a discourse connective particle. This paper provides a detailed reconstruction of the syntactic and semantic processes of change which have resulted in the present Marovo system of subject agreement.
Date:
March 2008
Author(s):
Bethwyn Evans