Cover not available

Article published In: Studies in Language
Vol. 47:3 (2023) ► pp.505–525

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
EPUB logo with download linkDownload EPUB
authorization required

Copula to negator

Grammaticalization of the copula #ni in Tibeto-Burman languages

ORCiD logo with link | University of Oregon
Published online: 1 November 2022
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.21065.del
Abstract
Auwera, Johan van der & Frens Vossen. 2017. Kiranti double negation: A copula conjecture. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 40(1). 40–58. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar identify an intriguing shift from a copula to a negative marker in the Tibeto-Burman Kiranti group, and discuss it as a possible example of Jespersen’s Cycle. This paper traces a fuller history of the copula #ni, and presents an account of its association with negation, which is attested in several other Tibeto-Burman languages besides Kiranti. In most Tibeto-Burman languages the equational copula is “optional”, occurring in affirmative sentences only with a contrastive or emphatic sense. For this reason copulas often develop into sentence-final stance markers. Since negation is morphologically marked on verbs, a negated equational sentence requires an overt copula which can be negated. This paper presents data showing how this association of the presence of a copula with negation has resulted in the negative sense becoming associated with and, in a few cases, becoming the direct meaning of the erstwhile copula.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction and background
    • 1.1The copula #ni
    • 1.2Equational copulas and verbless sentences in Tibeto-Burman languages
  • 2.Intermediate grammaticalization stages
    • 2.1Copula #ni as tense/aspect marking
    • 2.2Grammaticalization of stance values: From copula to sentence-final particle
  • 3.Grammaticalization of negation
    • 3.1Relict negative copulas
    • 3.2#ni and negation in Kiranti
    • 3.3#ni and negation in South Central
  • 4.The copula and negation
  • Data sources for tables
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
References (54)
References
Arden, Michelle. 2010. A phonetic, phonological, and morphosyntactic analysis of the Mara language. San Diego: San Diego State University MA thesis. (accessed 22/01/2012 at [URL]).
Auwera, Johan van der. 2009. The Jespersen cycles. In Elly van Gelderen (ed.) Cyclical change, 35–71. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Auwera, Johan van der, Olga Krasnoukhova & Frens Vossen. 2022. Intertwining the negative cycles. In Ljuba Veselinova & Arja Hamari (eds.), The negative existential cycle from a historical-comparative perspective, 557–596. Berlin: Language Science Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Auwera, Johan van der & Frens Vossen. 2017. Kiranti double negation: A copula conjecture. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 40(1). 40–58. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Awan, Mechek Sampar. 2019. Agreement system in Chiru. Himalayan Linguistics 18(1). 78–90. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bai, Junwei. 2019. A grammar of Munya. Douglas: James Cook University PhD dissertation.
Banjade, Goma. 2009. Mewahang language: An introduction. Nepalese Linguistics 241. 11–20.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Borchers, Dörte. 2008. A grammar of Sunwar. Leiden: Brill.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Breugel, Seino van. 2014. A grammar of Atong. Leiden: Brill. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chhangte, Lalnunthangi. 1993. Mizo syntax. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon PhD dissertation.
Chelliah, Shobhana. 1997. A grammar of Meithei. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chelliah, Shobhana, David Peterson, Tyler Utt, Evaline Blair & Sumshot Khular. 2019. Lamkang verb conjugation. Himalayan Linguistics 18(1). 8–25. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
DeLancey, Scott. 1992. Sunwar copulas. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 15(1). 31–38.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2011. Finite structures from clausal nominalization in Tibeto-Burman languages. In Yap, Foong Ha, Karen Grunow-Hårsta & Janick Wrona (eds.), Nominalization in Asian languages: Diachronic and typological perspectives, 343–62. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2021. Classifying Trans-Himalayan (Sino-Tibetan) languages. In Paul Sidwell & Mathias Jenny (eds.), The languages and linguistics of mainland Southeast Asia, 207–223. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. in press. Argument indexation (verb agreement) in South Central (Kuki-Chin). Himalayan Linguistics.
. to appear. The Trans-Himalayan copula #ni. Bulletin of Chinese Linguistics.
Driem, George van. 1993. A grammar of Dumi. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ebert, Karen. 1994. The structure of Kiranti languages. (Arbeiten des Seminars für Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft Nr. 13). Zurich: Universität Zurich.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1997. A grammar of Athpare. Munich: LINCOM Europa.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Evans, Jonathan & Dhrubajit Langthasa. to appear. Dimasa language: Structure and texts. Taipei: Language and Linguistics (Academia Sinica).
Genetti, Carol. 1988. Notes on the structure of the Sunwari transitive verb. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 11(2). 62–92.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2011. Nominalization in Tibeto-Burman languages of the Himalayan area. In Yap, Foong Ha, Karen Grunow-Hårsta & Janick Wrona (eds.), Nominalization in Asian languages: Diachronic and typological perspectives, 163–193. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hanson, Ola. 1917. A hand-book of the Kachin or Jinghpaw language. Rangoon: American Baptist Mission Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Haokip, Pauthang. 2019. Agreement in Thadou. Himalayan Linguistics 18(1). 91–118. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Honkasalo, Sami. 2019. A grammar of Eastern Geshiza. Helsinki: University of Helsinki PhD dissertation.
Huang, Chenglong 黄成龍. 2004. A reference grammar of the Puxi variety of Qiang. Hong Kong: City University of Hong Kong PhD dissertation.
Huang, Huade. 2020. Evidentiality and engagement in Kua’nsi. Presented at the 53rd International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics, University of North Texas.
Konnerth, Linda. 2018. The historical phonology of Monsang (Northwestern South-Central / “Kuki-Chin”): A case of reduction in phonological complexity. Himalayan Linguistics 17(1). 19–49. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Konnerth, Linda & Wanglar, Koninglee. 2019. Person indexation in Monsang from a diachronic perspective. Himalayan Linguistics 18(1). 54–77. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kurabe, Keita. 2016. A grammar of Jinghpaw, from northern Burma. Kyoto: Kyoto University PhD dissertation.
Lahaussois, Aimée. 2004. Thulung Rai. Himalayan Linguistics Archive No. 1.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lidz, Liberty. 2010. A descriptive grammar of Yongning Na (Mosuo). Austin: University of Texas PhD dissertation.
Lowes [Hyslop], Gwendolyn. 2006. Some comparative notes on Tibeto-Burman copulas. Presented at the 39th International Conferences on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics.
Matisoff, James. 1985. God and the Sino-Tibetan copula, with some good news concerning selected Tibeto-Burman rhymes. Journal of Asian and African Studies 291. 1–81.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Michailovsky, Boyd. 1988. La langue hayu. Paris: CNRS.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Miestamo, Matti. 2005. Standard negation: The negation of declarative verbal main clauses in a typological perspective. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nagila, Kedar Bilash. 2013. Negation: Evidence from the Dura language. Nepalese Linguistics 281. 95–99.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Noonan, Michael. 1997. Versatile nominalizations. In Joan Bybee, John Haiman, & Sandra A. Thompson (eds.), Essays on language function and language type, 373–394. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Opgenort, Jean. 2005. A grammar of Jero. Leiden: Brill. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ozerov, Pavel. 2019. Person indexation in Anal. Himalayan Linguistics 18(1). 26–53. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Paudyal, Netra Prasad. 2015. Aspects of Chintang syntax. Zürich: University of Zürich PhD dissertation.
Plaisier, Helen. 2007. A grammar of Lepcha. Leiden: Brill.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schorer, Nicolas. 2016. The Dura language: Grammar and phylogeny. Amsterdam: Brill. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Singh, Chungkham Yashawanta. 2010. Koireng grammar. New Delhi: Akansha.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
So-Hartmann, Helga. 2009. A descriptive grammar of Daai Chin. Berkeley: Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus Project, University of California.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Teo, Amos. 2019. Investigating Differential Case Marking in Sümi, a language of Nagaland, using language documentation and experimental methods. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon PhD dissertation.
Thurgood, Graham. 1982. The Sino-Tibetan copula *wəy(o). Cahiers de linguistique Asie Orientale 11(1). 65–81. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tolsma, Gerard. 2006. A grammar of Kulung. Leiden: Brill.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Watters, David. 2002. A grammar of Kham. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Yliniemi, Huha. 2016. Nepali attention marker ni. Himalayan Linguistics 15(2). 50–87.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Yu, Dominic. 2012. Proto-Ersuic. Ph.D. dissertation, Berkeley: University of California.
Zakaria, Muhammad. 2017. A grammar of Hyow. Singapore: Nanyang Technological University PhD dissertation.
Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue