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Deictic Features of Demonstratives: A Typological Survey with SpecialReference to the Miao Group

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2016

Matthias Gerner
Matthias Gerner*
Affiliation:
City University of Hong Kong
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Abstract

This article is centred on the concept of the deictic feature embedded indemonstratives. A principled taxonomy of deictic features attestedcross-linguistically is proposed, with the aim of being as comprehensive aspossible. The list of deictic features previously identified is greatly expandedto include 15 features, with which 52 deictic values are associated. Themorphological strategies for encoding deictic features in demonstratives arealso examined. Three techniques are identified: (i) isolating; (ii)agglutinative or serial; and (iii) inflectional encoding. A number of thedeictic features discussed in this article, along with their morphologicalrealization strategies, are illustrated with data from the Miao Group oflanguages, spoken in the People’s Republic of China.

Résumé

Résumé

Le présent article se concentre sur le concept du trait déictiqueimplantée dans les démonstratifs. On y propose une taxonomiestructurée, aussi complète que possible, des traitsdéictiques attestés dans les langues du monde. La liste des traitsdéictiques reconnus précédemment est élargie pourinclure 15 traits, auxquels sont associées 52 valeurs déictiques.En outre, une attention particulière est consacrée auxstratégies morphologiques permettant de coder ces traitsdéictiques dans les démonstratifs. Trois techniques sontidentifiées : le codage (i) isolant; (ii) agglutinant ou sériel;et (iii) flexionnel. Un bon nombre des traits déictiquesprésentés ici, ainsi que leurs stratégies morphologiques deréalisation, sont illustrés avec des données venant dugroupe Miao, un ensemble de langues parlées dans la Républiquepopulaire de Chine.

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Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 54 , Issue 1 , March 2009 , pp. 43 - 89
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association/Association canadienne de linguistique 2009 

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