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In:A Layered Approach to Habitual Constructions
Edited by Sune Gregersen and Kees Hengeveld
[Typological Studies in Language 136] 2026
► pp. 170–201

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Chapter 6
Habitual constructions in Kwaza

ORCiD logo with link | Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi
Published online: 6 January 2026
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.136.06van
Abstract
This chapter presents and discusses strategies for the expression of habitual aspect in the Amazonian language isolate Kwaza. There are five dedicated habitual strategies. Three of those are morphosyntactic strategies that employ existing grammatical constructions in a specific way. There is furthermore one lexical strategy involving the verb root ĩ´ĩta- ‘(as) always’, which usually occurs as the second part of a compound. And there is a negative habitual suffix -hɨ̃si that occurs in the position of a sentential mood marker. In addition to these habitual strategies some other constructions are presented that can marginally have a habitual connotation. With this research I hope to contribute both to theoretical inquiry and to refinement of language description.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The language
  • 3.Strategies
    • 3.1Overview of strategies
    • 3.2Verb root ĩ´ĩta- ‘(as) always’
      • 3.2.1Introduction
      • 3.2.2The ĩ´ĩta- strategy with modifiers
      • 3.2.3The ĩ´ĩta- strategy with operators
      • 3.2.4The ĩ´ĩta- strategy in complement clauses
      • 3.2.5Interpretation of the ĩ´ĩta- strategy
      • 3.2.6Summary of the ĩ´ĩta- strategy
    • 3.3Nominal clause in -nãi with e- ‘have’
      • 3.3.1Introduction
      • 3.3.2The -nãi e- strategy and modifiers
      • 3.3.3The -nãi e- strategy and operators
      • 3.3.4The -nãi e- strategy in complement clauses
      • 3.3.5Interpretation of the -nãi e- strategy
      • 3.3.6Summary of the -nãi e- strategy
    • 3.4Dependent clause in -ta with a- ‘exist’
      • 3.4.1Introduction
      • 3.4.2The -ta a- strategy and modifiers
      • 3.4.3The -ta a- strategy and operators
      • 3.4.4The -ta a- strategy in complement clauses
      • 3.4.5Interpretation of the -ta a- strategy
      • 3.4.6Summary of the -ta a- strategy
    • 3.5Morphological reduplication of cross-reference
      • 3.5.1Introduction
      • 3.5.2The person reduplication strategy and modifiers
      • 3.5.3The person reduplication strategy and operators
      • 3.5.4The person reduplication strategy in complement clauses
      • 3.5.5Interpretation of the person reduplication strategy
      • 3.5.6Summary of the person reduplication strategy
    • 3.6Negative habitual -hɨ̃si
      • 3.6.1Introduction
      • 3.6.2The -hɨ̃si strategy and modifiers
      • 3.6.3The -hɨ̃si strategy and operators
      • 3.6.4The -hɨ̃si strategy in complement clauses
      • 3.6.5Interpretation of the -hɨ̃si strategy
      • 3.6.6Summary of the -hɨ̃si strategy
    • 3.7Habitual connotations of other constructions
      • 3.7.1Root reduplication
      • 3.7.2The verbal suffix -tyaryɨ̃ ‘much’
      • 3.7.3The adverbial suffix -ĩsi ‘every’
      • 3.7.4The root asa- ‘leave, stop’
    • 3.8Co-occurrence of strategies
  • 4.Summary
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
References (12)
References
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