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Difference between revisions of "Va and Vo verbs in Tenyidie"

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by [[User:Mimi Kevichusa Ezung|Mimi Kevichusa Ezung]]
 
by [[User:Mimi Kevichusa Ezung|Mimi Kevichusa Ezung]]
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'''Description of  Va  and Vo verbs''' 
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The difference between Va  and Vo verbs is that:
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'''Va  verbs''' -  bear a high tone (́ )                      '''Vo verbs''' - bear a low tone (̀ )   
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          - permit object pro-drop                 - do not permit object pro-drop
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The sentences (1)-(4) illustrate this:
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'''Vo Verbs'''
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1a.    á        ǹ    ŋù (Vo)
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        I nom    you  saw
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        ‘I saw you.’
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b.    *á      Ø    ŋù
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        I nom      saw
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2a.    puo-e        n    ŋù (Vo)
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        he/she-erg  you  saw
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        ‘He/She saw you.’
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b.    *puo-e        Ø    ŋù
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        he/she-erg        saw
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'''Va Verbs''' 
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3a.    á      tsibu    ŋú (Va)
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        I nom  Tsibu    saw
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        ‘I saw Tsibu.’
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b.    á        Ø    ŋú
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        I nom        saw
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        ‘I saw.’
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4a.    puo-e        tsibu    ŋú (Va)
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        he/she-erg  Tsibu    saw
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        ‘He/She saw Tsibu.’
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b.    puo-e          Ø    ŋú (Va)
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        he/she-erg          saw
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        ‘He/She saw.’
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To further the description of Va and Vo verbs one needs to first discuss briefly the personal pronouns of the language.
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­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­
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Person           Subject position Object position
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                        (A/S NP)
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  1               á         â
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  2               nɔ́              n            
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  3        puô          puô
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              '''Table 1: Personal Pronouns in Tenyidie'''
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In Table I note that it is only the third person pronoun that is homophonous for subject position and object positions. In the second person, the pronoun in the subject position is ''nɔ́'', contrasting with ''ǹ'' in the object positions. The first person is interesting as it is the tone which differentiates the subject position from the non-subject positions. In the subject position, the pronoun carries a high tone, whereas in the other positions it carries a low tone.
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The point here is that, if you look at sentences (3) and (4), the high tone that marks the A/S  NP (''á'',''nɔ́'') also marks the verb i.e. the Va verb. In sentences (1) and (2), the low tone that marks the O NP ( ''à'', ''ǹ'' ) marks the verb, i.e. the Vo verb.
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If we look at sentences (5) and (6) we find that the occurrence of the O NP with the Va verbs is optional as illustrated in sentence (5) below. The occurrence of the O NP with the Vo verbs is, however, obligatory and cannot be dropped, as the ungrammaticality of sentence (6) illustrates:
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5.    á    Ø    ŋú  (Va)
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      I        saw         
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      ‘I saw.’
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6.  * á    Ø    ŋù (Vo)
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      I          saw
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On the basis that Tenyidie permits pro in the object position one can say then that Va verbs are pro-drop verbs and Vo verbs are non pro-drop verbs. 
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Though the third person singular pronoun is homophonous for A/S NP position and O NP position, it is interesting to note that this Va versus Vo tone distinction is retained in the third person pronoun singular as illustrated in sentences (7a and b). This distinction is however lost with other O NPs including interrogatives as shown in sentences (8a, b) and (9a, b).
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7a.    può-e        ŋú 
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        she/he-erg  saw
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        ‘She/He saw.’
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b.    può-e        può      ŋù 
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        she/he-erg    him/her  saw
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        ‘She/He saw him/her.’
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8a.    tsibu - e  ŋú 
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        Tsibu-erg  saw
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        ‘Tsibu saw.’
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b.    á    tsibu  ŋú 
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        I    Tsibu  saw
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        ‘I saw Tsibu.’
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9a.    supuo-nie    ŋú  ga       
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        who-erg      saw  wh q mkr
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        ‘Who saw?’
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b.    nɔ́  supuo  ŋú    ga
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        you  whom  saw  wh q mkr
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        ‘Whom did you see?’

Revision as of 15:06, 6 October 2011

by Mimi Kevichusa Ezung

Description of Va and Vo verbs

The difference between Va and Vo verbs is that:

Va verbs - bear a high tone (́ ) Vo verbs - bear a low tone (̀ ) 

         - permit object pro-drop		                - do not permit object pro-drop

The sentences (1)-(4) illustrate this:

Vo Verbs

1a. á ǹ ŋù (Vo) 

       I nom    you  saw
       ‘I saw you.’

b.    *á      Ø    ŋù
       I nom       saw

2a. puo-e n ŋù (Vo) 

       he/she-erg   you  saw
       ‘He/She saw you.’

b.    *puo-e        Ø     ŋù
       he/she-erg         saw

Va Verbs

3a. á tsibu ŋú (Va) 

       I nom   Tsibu    saw
       ‘I saw Tsibu.’

b.     á        Ø    ŋú
       I nom         saw
       ‘I saw.’

4a. puo-e tsibu ŋú (Va) 

       he/she-erg   Tsibu    saw
       ‘He/She saw Tsibu.’

b.     puo-e           Ø    ŋú (Va)
       he/she-erg           saw
       ‘He/She saw.’

To further the description of Va and Vo verbs one needs to first discuss briefly the personal pronouns of the language.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ Person Subject position Object position 

                        (A/S NP)

 1	               á	         			â			
 2 	               nɔ́              				n		            
 3   		       puô          				puô		



              Table 1: Personal Pronouns in Tenyidie

In Table I note that it is only the third person pronoun that is homophonous for subject position and object positions. In the second person, the pronoun in the subject position is nɔ́, contrasting with ǹ in the object positions. The first person is interesting as it is the tone which differentiates the subject position from the non-subject positions. In the subject position, the pronoun carries a high tone, whereas in the other positions it carries a low tone.

The point here is that, if you look at sentences (3) and (4), the high tone that marks the A/S NP (á,nɔ́) also marks the verb i.e. the Va verb. In sentences (1) and (2), the low tone that marks the O NP ( à, ǹ ) marks the verb, i.e. the Vo verb.

If we look at sentences (5) and (6) we find that the occurrence of the O NP with the Va verbs is optional as illustrated in sentence (5) below. The occurrence of the O NP with the Vo verbs is, however, obligatory and cannot be dropped, as the ungrammaticality of sentence (6) illustrates:

5. á Ø ŋú (Va) 

     I         saw          
     ‘I saw.’

6. * á Ø ŋù (Vo) 

      I           saw

On the basis that Tenyidie permits pro in the object position one can say then that Va verbs are pro-drop verbs and Vo verbs are non pro-drop verbs.

Though the third person singular pronoun is homophonous for A/S NP position and O NP position, it is interesting to note that this Va versus Vo tone distinction is retained in the third person pronoun singular as illustrated in sentences (7a and b). This distinction is however lost with other O NPs including interrogatives as shown in sentences (8a, b) and (9a, b).

7a. può-e ŋú 

       she/he-erg   saw
       ‘She/He saw.’
   
b.     può-e         può       ŋù   
       she/he-erg    him/her   saw
       ‘She/He saw him/her.’

8a. tsibu - e ŋú 

       Tsibu-erg   saw
       ‘Tsibu saw.’

b.     á     tsibu   ŋú  
       I     Tsibu   saw
       ‘I saw Tsibu.’

9a. supuo-nie ŋú ga 

       who-erg      saw  wh q mkr
       ‘Who saw?’

b.     nɔ́   supuo  ŋú    ga
       you  whom   saw   wh q mkr
       ‘Whom did you see?’
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