Studies in Ditransitive Constructions: A Comparative Handbook

by Andrej Malchukov (Editor), Martin Haspelmath (Editor), Bernard Comrie (Editor)

Overview

This rich volume deals comprehensively with cross-linguistic variation in the morphosyntax of ditransitive constructions: constructions formed with verbs (like give) that take Agent, Theme and Recipient arguments. For the first time, a broadly cross-linguistic perspective is adopted. The present volume, consisting of an overview article and twenty-odd in-depth studies of ditransitive constructions in individual languages from different continents, arose from the conference on ditransitive constructions held at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (Leipzig) in 2007. It opens with the editors' survey article providing an overview of cross-linguistic variation in ditransitive constructions, followed by the questionnaire on ditransitive constructions, compiled by the editors in order to elicit various properties of these patterns. The editors' overview discusses formal properties of ditransitive constructions as well as behavioral (or syntactic) and lexical properties (i.e., the extension of ditransitive constructions across different verb classes).

The volume includes 23 contributions describing properties of ditransitive constructions in languages from all over the world, written by leading experts. Care has been taken that the contributions to the volume will be representative of structural, geographic and genealogical diversity in the domain of ditransitive constructions. Thus the present volume provides a unique source of information on typological diversity of ditransitive constructions. It is expected that it will be of central interest to all scholars and advanced students of linguistics, especially to those working in the field of language typology and comparative syntax.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783110220360
Publisher:	De Gruyter
Publication date:	12/13/2010
Pages:	790
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.45(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Andrej Malchukov, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany and Institute of Linguistic Studies, St. Petersburg, Russia; Martin Haspelmath, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany; Bernard Comrie, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany and University of California Santa Barbara, USA.

Table of Contents

Notational conventions and abbreviations viii

Acknowledgements x

List of authors xi

General Chapters

I Ditransitive constructions: A typological overview Andrej Malchukov Martin Haspelmath Bernard Comrie 1

II Questionnaire on ditransitive constructions Bernard Comrie Martin Haspelmath Andrej Malchukov 65

The Languages Africa

1 Are there ditransitive verbs in !Xun? Christa König Bernd Heine 74

2 On Emai ditransitive constructions Ronald P. Schaefer Francis O. Egbokhare 115

3 Ditransitive constructions in Yorùbá Joseph Atoyebi Martin Haspelmath Andrej Malchukov 145

4 Ditransitive constructions in Baule Denis Creissels Jérémie Kouadio 166

5 Ditransitive constructions in Jóola Banjal Alain-Christian Bassène 190

6 Ditransitive constructions in Tima Gerrit J. Dimmendaal 204

Eurasia

7 Ditransitive constructions in the Neo-Aramaic dialect of Telkepe Eleanor Coghill 221

8 Ditransitive constructions in Vafsi: A corpus-based study Donald Stilo 243

9 Ditransitive constructions in East Caucasian: A family overview Michael Daniel Zaira Khalilova Zarina Molochieva 277

10 Ditransitive constructions in Tungusic languages Andrej Malchukov Igor' Nedjalkov 316

11 Ditransitive constructions in Ket Andrey Nefedov Andrej Malchukov Edward Vajda 352

12 The syntax of three-argument verbs in Chintang and Belhare (Southeastern Kiranti) Balthasar Bickel Manoj Rai Netra P. Paudyal Goma Banjade Toya N. Bhatta Martin Gaenszle Elena Lieven Ichchha Purna Rai Novel Kishore Rai Sabine Stoll 382

13 Ditransitive constructions in Thai Kingkarn Thepkanjana 409

New Guinea and Australia

14 Ditransitive constructions in Teiwa Marian Klamer 427

15 Ditransitives in Mian Sebastian Fedden 456

16 Ditransitive constructions and their alternatives in Teop Ulrike Mosel 486

17 Grammatical properties and classification of three-participant predicates in Jaminjung Eva Schultze-Berndt 510

Americas

18 Ditransitives in Central Alaskan Yupik Osahito Miyaoka 529

19 Ditransitive constructions in Halkomelem Salish: A direct object/oblique object language Donna B. Gerdts 563

20 Ditransitivity in Hupa (Athabaskan) Amy Campbell 611

21 Ditransitive constructions in Ojibwe Richard A. Rhodes 626

22 Ditransitive constructions in Tlapanec Søren Wichmann 651

23 Ditransitives in Itonama Mily Crevels 678

24 Ditransitives in Mapudungun Lucía A. Golluscio 710

Author index 757

Language index 762

Subject index 766

Editorial Reviews

"This book is an impressive crosslinguistic resource on ditransitives, and it will be the major reference work on ditransitives for years to come."
Elly van Gelderen in: http://elanguage.net/blogs/booknotices/?p=2054

"The reviewed volume undoubtedly makes a major contribution not only to the research of ditransitive and three-participant constructions, but more broadly to the typology in general, revealing high standards of typological research in terms of minute description of individual languages and cross-linguistic generalizations. It also attests to a keen interest of current typological research in lexical semantics and its interaction with grammar. Thus, the volume "Studies in ditransitive constructions: A comparative Handbook", along with other publications, is yet another confirmation of the leading position of the Linguistic Department based at the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig in the vibrant field of typological research."
Peter Arkadiev in: Voprosy Jazykoznanija 1/2012

From the Publisher