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Article published In: Studies in Language
Vol. 42:4 (2018) ► pp.970–993

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Reference tracking in Tima and its interplay with split ergative marking

 | Universität zu Köln
 | Universität zu Köln
Published online: 4 February 2019
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https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.17030.sch
Abstract
Tima, a Niger-Congo language of the Sudan, shows signs of split ergativity. If its constituent order deviates from the basic AVO order to OVA order, the postverbal agent is formally marked, unlike preverbal agents. A direct object, regardless of its position relative to the verb, is never marked. Research so far has shown that ergative constructions are triggered by certain participant constellations in discourse. In particular, when the speaker keeps a non-agentive participant, more specifically a direct object, as the centre of attention in sentence-initial position, a newly introduced agent occurs postverbally and receives ergative marking. In addition, AOV and OAV constructions are attested, both involving focus marking.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The puzzle: Variation in constituent order
  • 3.Introducing a new participant at the beginning of a text
    • 3.1Text opening with a focus marked constituent
    • 3.2Text opening with sentences having SV/AVO constituent order
  • 4.Reference continuity and switch
    • 4.1Referential identity
    • 4.2Referential difference
  • 5.Contrastive events
  • 6.Final observations
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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Bardají, Maria, Gertrud Schneider-Blum, Markus Philipp & Sarah Dolscheid
2025. Why agent prominence persists even under challenging conditions. Glossa: a journal of general linguistics 10:1 DOI logo
Alamin, Suzan & Gertrud Schneider-Blum
2024. A cautious approach to spatial orientation in Tima. In Anthropological Linguistics [Culture and Language Use, 23], ► pp. 49 ff. DOI logo
Dimmendaal, Gerrit J. & Gertrud Schneider-Blum
2024. Locative expressions and their semantic extensions in Tima. In Predication in African Languages [Studies in Language Companion Series, 235], ► pp. 44 ff. DOI logo
Schneider-Blum, Gertrud
2022. On noncausal/causal alternations in Tima (Nuba Mountains, Sudan). Linguistique et langues africaines :8(2) DOI logo
Schneider-Blum, Gertrud
2023. The impact of attentional centering on ergative marking in Tima. STUF - Language Typology and Universals 76:1 ► pp. 87 ff. DOI logo
Becker, Laura & Gertrud Schneider-Blum
2020. Morphological marking of contrast in Tima. Glossa: a journal of general linguistics 5:1 DOI logo

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