In:The Perfect Volume: Papers on the perfect
Edited by Kristin Melum Eide and Marc Fryd
[Studies in Language Companion Series 217] 2021
► pp. 117–136
Chapter 5Cross-linguistic parallels and contrasts in a contact language
perfect construction
Published online: 9 July 2021
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.217.05slo
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.217.05slo
Abstract
This paper is about semantically and
pragmatically comparable perfect constructions in the contact
languages Sri Lankan Malay (SLM) and Sri Lankan Portuguese (SLP).
The goal of the paper is to show that non-finite participles based
on a conjunctive participle model in the Sri Lankan linguistic area
convey perfect meaning and also combine with a semantically empty
auxiliary to form a periphrastic perfect construction in main
clauses. Irrespective of the similarities, the separability of the
auxiliary and the negation facts associated with the SLM
construction are suggestive of biclausal status, whereas the SLP
construction is simply agglutinative and monoclausal.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Morphological elaboration of the verb in SLM and SLP
- 3.Morphosyntactic analysis of the derivation of verbs and negation
- 4.The pragmatic function of non-finite participial clauses
- 5.The SLM perfect construction as biclausal
- 6.Contrasts in the SLP data
- 7.Conclusion
Acknowledgements Notes List of abbreviations References
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