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Article published In: Studies in Language
Vol. 45:4 (2021) ► pp.939–968

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Äiwoo wâtu and the typology of comparatives

 | University of Oslo
Published online: 14 December 2020
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https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.20022.nae
Abstract
This paper examines a comparative construction in the Oceanic language Äiwoo and argues that it differs from those known in the typological literature on comparatives on two counts. It is similar to a so-called ‘exceed’ comparative in involving a morpheme meaning ‘go far’; but unlike canonical exceed comparatives, the construction is intransitive, and the standard of comparison is expressed as an oblique. Moreover, the standard is indicated not only by this oblique phrase but also by a directional marker on the verb, in an extension of the frequent use of directionals in Äiwoo to indicate peripheral participants. This construction thus, on the one hand, expands the established typology of comparative constructions; and on the other, shows that the use of directional morphemes to indicate peripheral participants, otherwise attested e.g. for recipients of give verbs, may extend to the standard in comparative constructions, pointing to an avenue for further typological exploration.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The Äiwoo language
    • 2.1General characteristics
    • 2.2Voice and person marking
    • 2.3Serial verb constructions
    • 2.4Directionals
    • 2.5Prepositions
  • 3.The functions of wâtu
    • 3.1Formal status
    • 3.2Spatial and temporal uses
    • 3.3The ‘more’ reading
    • 3.4wâtu as comparative marker
  • 4.The typology of comparatives
    • 4.1Stassen (1985)
    • 4.2Dixon (2008)
    • 4.3Schapper & de Vries (2018)
    • 4.4Äiwoo and the typology of comparative constructions
    • 4.5The Äiwoo wâtu comparative as a distinct type
      • 4.5.1Origin of wâtu
      • 4.5.2Other comparative constructions in Äiwoo
      • 4.5.3The role of directionals in comparative constructions
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
References (27)
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