Article published In: Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area
Vol. 45:2 (2022) ► pp.300–311
Accusative alignment in the Old Tibetan switch reference system
Published online: 4 November 2022
https://doi.org/10.1075/ltba.22007.hil
https://doi.org/10.1075/ltba.22007.hil
Abstract
The use of ནས་ -nas to mark cross-clausal co-reference in Version I of the Old Tibetan Rāmāyaṇa reveals accusative alignment in Tibetan syntax, which in turn vindicates the notion of ‘subject’ applied to Tibetan.
Keywords: accusative, co-reference, switch reference, Old Tibetan, Tibetan
Article outline
- 1.Tibetan ergativity
- 2.The co- and switch reference system
- 3.ནས་ -nas for co-reference
- 3.1Co-reference of an agent and sole argument
- 3.2Co-reference of a sole argument and an agent
- 4.པ་དང་ -pa-daṅ to mark switch reference
- 4.1Switch reference from an agent to a sole argument
- 4.2Switch reference from a sole argument to an agent
- 4.3Switch reference from an agent to another agent
- 4.4Switch reference from a sole argument to another sole argument
- 5.Conclusion: The cross clausal indexing of subjecthood
- Notes
References
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