Studies in ergativity
1987; Elsevier BV; Volume: 71; Issue: 1-4 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/0024-3841(87)90065-9
ISSN1872-6135
Autores Tópico(s)Cognitive Abilities and Testing
ResumoThis paper argues that Nepali is neither a fully ergative language nor a simple split-ergative language conditioned by tense/aspect, because the language shows a more complex case-marking pattern than previously described. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates that Nepali is a split-ergative language conditioned by the semantic nature of NPs. In the domain of inanimate NPs, the language is ergative; elsewhere, it resists classification as ergative or accusative. This finding is of typological significance in that it provides a good example for a rare split between inanimate NPs and animate NPs. Moreover, the paper argues that Nepali shows split intransitivity in terms of case marking, and it offers a semantic account of the split in terms of the interaction of two semantic factors, agentivity and telicity.
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