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Don’t feel obligated, lest it be undesirable : the relationship between prohibitives and apprehensives in Papapana and beyond

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Smith-Dennis, Ellen (2021) Don’t feel obligated, lest it be undesirable : the relationship between prohibitives and apprehensives in Papapana and beyond. Linguistic Typology, 25 (3). pp. 413-459. doi:10.1515/lingty-2020-2070 ISSN 1430-0532.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/lingty-2020-2070

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Abstract

This paper analyses the preverbal morpheme te, used in both apprehensive ‘precautioning’ sentences and in one of two prohibitive constructions in Papapana (papa1265, Austronesian, Oceanic; Papua New Guinea). I aim to establish whether there is a diachronic relationship between the two functions of te, and in which direction, how and why semantic change may have occurred. This requires consideration of the synchronic differences between Papapana prohibitives, comparisons with apprehensive and prohibitive constructions in other Oceanic languages, and an investigation of other languages where apprehensive and prohibitive morphemes are formally similar/identical. I argue that the two functions of te are diachronically related, but not polysemous, and that the prohibitive meaning developed from the apprehensive meaning via insubordination. This supports Pakendorf, Brigitte & Ewa Schalley’s proposed pathway of development from possibility to prohibition, via apprehension and warning. However, I argue that their pathway does not, as claimed, run counter to the proposed grammaticalisation path of deontic to epistemic modality, because prohibitives are arguably not deontic. This paper contributes to the growing body of research on apprehensives, demonstrates that the pathway from apprehension to prohibition is perhaps not as rare as Pakendorf and Schalley thought, and contributes to research on language change and modality.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
P Language and Literature > PL Languages and literatures of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania
Divisions: Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Applied Linguistics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Austronesian languages , Linguistic change , Historical linguistics, Austronesian languages -- Semantics
Journal or Publication Title: Linguistic Typology
Publisher: De Gruyter
ISSN: 1430-0532
Official Date: 21 January 2021
Dates:
DateEvent
21 January 2021Published
1 February 2020Accepted
Volume: 25
Number: 3
Page Range: pp. 413-459
DOI: 10.1515/lingty-2020-2070
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
Copyright Holders: © 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Date of first compliant deposit: 27 January 2021
Date of first compliant Open Access: 21 January 2022
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
MDP0206Arcadia Fundhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100012088
UNSPECIFIEDUniversity of Warwickhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000741

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