Serial verb constructions and echo-reference constructions in the languages of Northwest Malekula: V'ënen Taut, Tape, and Tirax
type: CreativeWork
description: The Northwest Malekula language subgroup consists of three closely related languages V’ënen Taut, Tape, and Tirax (Lynch, 2016). Each language has been documented previously; however, two of the languages, V’ënen Taut and Tape, lacked comprehensive analyses of complex predicates and multi-verb constructions; more specifically serial verb constructions (Part One) and echo-reference constructions (Part Two). This work seeks to address this descriptive gap in the literature. Part One describes serial verb constructions in the Northwest Malekula languages. It begins in Chapter Two with a typological overview of serial verb constructions leading to the identification of three main grammatical properties of serial verb constructions. These properties are: monoclausality, independent verbhood, and shared arguments. Chapter Three employs the identified properties to present a survey of serial verb constructions in six Central Vanuatu languages and finds that most languages display two kinds of serial verb constructions, nuclear and core, which are identified by grammatical marking. The survey also identifies coverbial constructions and object incorporation as two further types of complex nuclei distinct from nuclear serial verb constructions, and auxiliary verb constructions as a distinct type of construction separate from core serial verb constructions. Chapter Four presents a comprehensive analysis of serial verb constructions in the Northwest Malekula languages, analyzing them in terms of argument sharing type and semantic function. Nuclear serial verbs constructions, coverbial constructions, switch-function and ambient core serial verb constructions are identified in all Northwest Malekula languages. Same-subject core serial verb constructions are present in Tape and Tirax but noticeably absent form V’ënen Taut; such functions are expressed using echo-reference constructions in that language. Part Two presents an analysis of echo-reference constructions in the Northwest…
abstract: The Northwest Malekula language subgroup consists of three closely related languages V’ënen Taut, Tape, and Tirax (Lynch, 2016). Each language has been documented previously; however, two of the languages, V’ënen Taut and Tape, lacked comprehensive analyses of complex predicates and multi-verb constructions; more specifically serial verb constructions (Part One) and echo-reference constructions (Part Two). This work seeks to address this descriptive gap in the literature. Part One describes serial verb constructions in the Northwest Malekula languages. It begins in Chapter Two with a typological overview of serial verb constructions leading to the identification of three main grammatical properties of serial verb constructions. These properties are: monoclausality, independent verbhood, and shared arguments. Chapter Three employs the identified properties to present a survey of serial verb constructions in six Central Vanuatu languages and finds that most languages display two kinds of serial verb constructions, nuclear and core, which are identified by grammatical marking. The survey also identifies coverbial constructions and object incorporation as two further types of complex nuclei distinct from nuclear serial verb constructions, and auxiliary verb constructions as a distinct type of construction separate from core serial verb constructions. Chapter Four presents a comprehensive analysis of serial verb constructions in the Northwest Malekula languages, analyzing them in terms of argument sharing type and semantic function. Nuclear serial verbs constructions, coverbial constructions, switch-function and ambient core serial verb constructions are identified in all Northwest Malekula languages. Same-subject core serial verb constructions are present in Tape and Tirax but noticeably absent form V’ënen Taut; such functions are expressed using echo-reference constructions in that language. Part Two presents an analysis of echo-reference constructions in the Northwest…
author: Dodd, Royce Richard
keywords: Serial verb constructions, Echo-reference constructions, Echo subjects, Switch reference, Vanuatu languages, Northwest Malekula
license: https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstreams/45dc3115-eea7-44e7-bff1-5415ac64d81c/download
date published: 2020
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:57:33Z
provider: University Waikato
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The University of Waikato