Manfred Krifka, March 23

Modality (and Tense) in Daakie (Austronesian, Vanuatu)

Manfred Krifka
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Zentrum für Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft, Berlin
http://amor.cms.hu-berlin.de/~h2816i3x/


Daakie (also known as Port Vato) is a small language of South Ambrym, Vanuatu, with less than 1000 speakers. The data presented in this talk derive from an ongoing fieldwork project (DOBES, VolkswagenFoundation). I will describe the modal system of this language, which includes a realis / irrealis distinction and a distal modality, which can also be used to indicate temporal relationships. The system includes a negative marker, and a negative concord form for embedded clauses. It interacts with distinct complementizers and indefinite markers for realis and non-realis modality.
In addition to characterizing this system, I will give a formal semantic model for it.

Where and when:

12:30-14:00 Mar 23, 2012

MPI Nijmegen, Room 163