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Article published In: Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area
Vol. 41:1 (2018) ► pp.45–74

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A cross-dialectal analysis of Nuosu adjectival comparative constructions

 | The University of Hong Kong
Published online: 20 July 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ltba.16023.din
Abstract
Current analyses (Hu, Suhua. 2005. Liangshan yiyu de chabiju [The sentence of differential comparison in Liangshan Yi language]. Minzu Yuwen [Minority Languages of China] 51: 39–44.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Gerner, Matthias. 2013. Grammar of Nuosu (MGL 64). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; Liu, Hongyong, Xiao Li & Seunghun Lee. 2013. Morphosyntax and semantics of Nuosu Yi comparatives. Journal of Sino-Tibetan Linguistics 71: 44–53.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar) of Nuosu adjectival comparative constructions are not observationally adequate because they are only based on the semantic distinction between dimensional adjectives and other adjectives. A better analysis should make a further morphological consideration by dividing the Nuosu adjectives into root-sharing prefixed adjectives, non-root-sharing prefixed adjectives and simplex adjectives.
Moreover, the existing analyses are not consistent. Some unacceptable comparative sentences in Hu, Suhua. 2005. Liangshan yiyu de chabiju [The sentence of differential comparison in Liangshan Yi language]. Minzu Yuwen [Minority Languages of China] 51: 39–44.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar are acceptable in Gerner, Matthias. 2013. Grammar of Nuosu (MGL 64). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar and Liu, Hongyong, Xiao Li & Seunghun Lee. 2013. Morphosyntax and semantics of Nuosu Yi comparatives. Journal of Sino-Tibetan Linguistics 71: 44–53.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar. I have found out that the inconsistency results from different rigorousness to adjectival morphosyntactic restrictions among different varieties or dialects of Nuosu.
After a cross-dialectal investigation with three major dialects of Nuosu, i.e. Shynra, Yynuo and Suondi, it is concluded that Nuosu comparative constructions have a restricted form and a general form for superiority, inferiority and equality respectively. Different dialects or varieties have varying rigorousness to Nuosu adjectival morphosyntax, thus resulting in different choices of the forms for comparison. Accordingly, the available Nuosu varieties are classified into three types: varieties with more morphosyntactic rigorousness, transitional varieties and varieties with less morphosyntactic rigorousness. It is found that Shynra Nuosu is morphosyntactically less rigorous than Yynuo and Suondi Nuosu. I will also address the relationship between the two structural forms of comparative constructions. To conclude, a prediction is made on the development of Nuosu adjectival comparatives.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.About the Nuosu language
  • 3.Multifunctionality of Nuosu adjectival words
  • 4.Adjectival morpheme
  • 5.Analysis of Nuosu comparative constructions
    • 5.1Methodology
    • 5.2Comparative constructions of prefixed adjectives
      • 5.2.1Shynra dialect
      • 5.2.2Yynuo and Suondi dialects
    • 5.3Comparative constructions of simplex adjectives
    • 5.4Summary
  • 6.Comparison of inferiority and equality
  • 7.Summary and Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
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