LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 14:9 September 2014
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Review of Aspects of Split Ergativity

Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi, Ph.D.

Abstract

A review of Aspects of Split Ergativity by Jessica Coon is presented. Aspect-based split ergativity refers to splits in agreement or morphological case which are the result of different syntactic structures. The review presents a brief description of split ergativity by way of introduction. The book is presented in two parts with seven chapters. Content of each chapter is presented and discussed.

Key words: Split ergativity, person split, tense, aspect, semantics of ergativity

A Theory of Aspect-Based on Split Ergativity

In Aspects of Split Ergativity, Coon argues for “a theory of aspect-based split ergativity” (p.1). She deals with the languages with aspect-based split ergativity in which splits in agreement or morphological case are the result of different syntactic structures. This theoretical work is an expansion of the ideas of split ergativity in progressive aspect, proposed by Laka (2006) for Basque. Coon proposes that “transitive subjects are always marked ergative; intransitive subjects and transitive objects are marked absolutive” (p. 1). The author focuses on nonperfective aspects with complex auxiliary constructions and demoted objects.

Seven Chapters in Two Parts

The book is organized into seven chapters: Introduction, Mayan Background and Clause, Verbs and Nouns in Chol, Explaining Split Ergativity in Chol, Beyond Mayan: Extending the Analysis, The Grammar of Temporal Relations, and Conclusions. These chapters are the parts of two thematic divisions. The part one, Complementation in Chol, follows a general introduction on ergativity and split ergativity which provides an outline to the book, and the part two, Theory of Split Ergativity, is followed by three appendices (abbreviations, narrative text abbreviations, and the summary of basic constructions).

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor (Linguistics)
School of Languages & Literature
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University
Katra
Jammu 182 320
Jammu and Kas
hmir India
amitabhvikram@yahoo.co.in
amitabh.vikram@smvdu.ac.in
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