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In:Finiteness Matters: On finiteness-related phenomena in natural languages
Edited by Kristin Melum Eide
[Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today 231] 2016
► pp. 189–210

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Non-finiteness in Saamáka

 | ZAS Berlin
ORCiD logo with link | ZAS Berlin
Published online: 25 August 2016
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.231.07van
In this paper we demonstrate that the creole language Saamáka does exhibit the finite vs. non-finite distinction by analysing the semantic characteristics and syntactic distribution of complementizer fu. We adopt a Klein style analysis of finiteness and argue that clauses embedded under this complementizer lack the features Assertion and Topic Time, and, hence, that these clauses are nonfinite. Based on this semantic analysis, we propose to split up the Fin-head and demonstrate that complementizer fu is base-generated in the higher Fin-position. As a result, we claim that our analysis calls for a richer lower C-domain than previously assumed in the literature.
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Cited by one other publication

Prescod, Paula
2024. Verb marking and classification of adjectival predicates in creoles. Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages 39:1 ► pp. 250 ff. DOI logo

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